Europe's secret plan over Trump; Is a new NATO without the U.S. being prepared?

Reports say that Donald Trump is also considering punishing “unhelpful” NATO members by withdrawing U.S. troops from their bases and redeploying them to countries deemed more loyal to Washington.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he understands Washington’s frustration, noting that not all European countries have met their obligations during the conflict with Iran.

The U.S. president also issued new criticism of the alliance, saying that “NATO was not there for us in Iran, nor will it be there for us in the future.”

However, under U.S. law, the Trump administration would not be able to unilaterally withdraw the United States from NATO without prior approval from Congress.

Trump has repeatedly accused American allies of failing to assist during the conflict with Iran and claimed that NATO, as Vladimir Putin allegedly also sees it, is a “paper tiger.” He called the alliance “terrible” and told members he claims did not provide sufficient support to “get their own oil,” referring to the failure to send naval forces and help break the Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Asked by The Telegraph whether he was reconsidering the U.S. role in NATO, Trump said the alliance was “long overdue for serious reconsideration.”

“NATO has never convinced me. I always knew it was a paper tiger, and Putin knows it too,” he said.

British response

Former British intelligence officer and former NATO planner Philip Ingram said the idea of a Europe-only alliance is highly significant for European security. He told The Sun that during his career he was involved in contingency planning for NATO operating without U.S. support.

According to him, member states would likely try to demonstrate unity and prove they could remain a strong global actor even without Washington.

“A clear public message of NATO unity would be crucial if the U.S. decided to withdraw. That message would especially need to be directed at Vladimir Putin. But turning unity in words into real practical change is always the hardest part,” he said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has continued to defend NATO, calling it “the most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.”

However, he also came under Trump’s criticism during the Iran conflict. The U.S. president threatened to scrap a trade deal with the United Kingdom, citing Starmer’s alleged lack of support.

Trump said the trade arrangement with London was “better than it had to be” and added that it “can always be changed” if relations deteriorate further.