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Trump Threatens NATO Exit Amid Iran War as 2023 Law Requires Congressional Approval
President Trump told Britain’s Telegraph he is “strongly considering” pulling the U.S. out of NATO — calling the alliance a “paper tiger,” berating allies (notably the U.K.) for refusing to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and privately raising withdrawal or ways to weaken U.S. commitments with senior advisers while officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio have urged a reexamination of the alliance. A 2023 law and NATO’s Article 13 complicate a unilateral exit — Congress would need to approve withdrawal (and a formal notice plus a one‑year waiting period is required) — even as Trump has asserted he can make the decision himself.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump told Britain’s Daily Telegraph he is "strongly considering" pulling the U.S. out of NATO — calling the alliance a "paper tiger" and saying U.S. membership is "beyond reconsideration" — and has publicly berated allies (especially the U.K.) for refusing to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war.
- Trump has raised the possibility of withdrawing from NATO or "finding ways to weaken" U.S. commitments in private discussions with advisers (including Secretary of State Marco Rubio) and publicly; White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump’s disappointment with NATO is clear and "the United States will remember."
- Several U.S. officials, led publicly by Rubio, say the U.S. must "reexamine" its NATO relationship after some European allies denied basing and overflight for Iran‑related operations — Spain and France were cited as having restricted or closed airspace — warning the alliance could become a "one‑way street."
- Allied leaders pushed back: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed Britain is "fully committed to NATO," Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper convened a 35‑nation virtual meeting on postwar shipping security, and European officials have pointed out that NATO allies were not consulted before the initial Iran war effort (a reason they cite for refusing wartime ship deployments).
- Legal and treaty constraints complicate any U.S. withdrawal: reporting notes a 2023 law (sponsored in part by then‑Sen. Marco Rubio) prohibits a president from withdrawing the U.S. from NATO without congressional approval — sources cite that advice and consent of two‑thirds of the Senate would be required to withdraw or suspend membership — and NATO’s Article 13 requires a formal notice of denunciation and a one‑year waiting period before withdrawal takes effect.
- Trump has publicly asserted he could withdraw the U.S. from NATO unilaterally (saying "I don't need Congress for that decision"), setting up an imminent legal and political dispute over whether a withdrawal can proceed without Congressional approval.
- On the military front, U.S. officials say the U.S. has attained significant control of Iran’s skies (Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said B‑52s are flying over Iranian territory) even as Iran retains missile and drone capabilities; an Iranian official warned the Strait of Hormuz "will certainly reopen, but not for you."
- Trump has also demanded that allies help not only with wartime naval deployments but with postwar reconstruction and security, and has claimed he prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon despite no public evidence that U.S. or Israeli strikes destroyed Iran’s near‑bomb‑grade material.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2024, 23 out of 32 NATO member countries met or exceeded the 2% of GDP defense spending target, up from only 3 in 2014.
As NATO Countries Reach Spending Milestone, Is 2 Percent Enough? — Council on Foreign Relations
Black Americans comprise 21.4% of active-duty US Army personnel in 2024, compared to approximately 13.6% of the US population.
How many people are in the US military? A demographic overview — USAFacts
Hispanic or Latino individuals are overrepresented in the US Marine Corps, with proportions exceeding the national average of about 19% of the US population in 2024.
How many people are in the US military? A demographic overview — USAFacts
African American households experience higher energy burdens partly due to older average building age and lower homeownership rates, contributing to disparities where they spend a higher percentage of income on energy.
Energy burden: Exploring the intersection of race, income, and building age — Energy Research & Social Science
In 2025, 60% of US adults have a favorable view of NATO, but this varies significantly by political party: 75% of Democrats versus 43% of Republicans.
3. How Americans view NATO and US NATO membership — Pew Research Center
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Bomb Iran but Blow Up NATO?
"The WSJ opinion argues that Mr. Trump’s drive to escalate against Iran while threatening NATO membership is a dangerous, self‑defeating mix that undermines the very alliances the U.S. would need to manage a wider conflict."
📰 Source Timeline (8)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 01, 2026
7:21 PM
Trump says he may withdraw U.S. from NATO. The law says he can't without Congress.
New information:
- Details that a 2023 law, pushed in part by then‑Sen. Marco Rubio, prohibits a president from withdrawing the U.S. from NATO without congressional approval.
- Reports that Trump now asserts he does not need Congress and can withdraw unilaterally, telling reporters 'I don't need Congress for that decision' and 'I can make that decision myself.'
- Clarifies that NATO’s own Article 13 requires a formal 'notice of denunciation' to the U.S. government and a one‑year waiting period before withdrawal takes effect, adding treaty mechanics to the existing political debate.
3:10 PM
Trump lashes out at NATO allies over unpopular Mideast war, widening transatlantic rift
New information:
- Trump told Britain’s Telegraph newspaper he is 'strongly considering' pulling the U.S. out of NATO and that reconsidering U.S. membership after the Iran war is 'beyond reconsideration,' some of his clearest public comments yet about a possible withdrawal.
- Trump publicly lashed out at allies like the United Kingdom on Truth Social, calling them 'cowards' for refusing to join the Iran war and telling them to 'go get your own oil' or 'go to the Strait of Hormuz themselves and just take it.'
- The article details that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed the U.K. is 'fully committed to NATO' and called it 'the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen,' while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is convening a 35‑nation virtual meeting to talk about postwar shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz.
- PBS/AP emphasize that no NATO ally was consulted or asked to join the initial Iran war effort, a point European leaders are quietly using to justify their refusal to send warships despite U.S. pressure amid surging oil prices.
- The piece notes Trump wants allies not only to send ships during the conflict but also to help 'fix damage from the war' afterward, widening the dispute beyond immediate naval deployments to longer‑term reconstruction and security commitments.
3:08 PM
Rubio says US may need to 'reexamine' NATO membership after allies blocked basing, airspace help
New information:
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a Fox News 'Hannity' interview, said there is 'no doubt' the U.S. must 'reexamine' its relationship with NATO after the Iran conflict.
- Rubio framed NATO as potentially becoming a 'one-way street' if U.S. forces cannot use European bases and airspace 'to defend America's interests.'
- He specified that some European allies, including Spain and France, have denied or restricted U.S. basing and overflight for Operation Epic Fury, with Spain closing its airspace to U.S. planes involved in the Iran war.
- The piece reiterates that Trump has criticized France for refusing overflight for U.S. planes headed to Israel with military supplies, calling France 'VERY UNHELPFUL' on Truth Social.
2:13 PM
Trump Raises NATO Withdrawal as Allies Push Back on Iran War
New information:
- WSJ reports that Trump has recently raised with advisers the possibility of withdrawing from NATO if allies do not help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. officials.
- The article says Trump has also discussed 'finding ways to weaken the U.S. commitment' to NATO, not just formal withdrawal, and that no final decision has been made.
- WSJ specifies that these private comments were made to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others, and includes an on‑record White House response from spokeswoman Anna Kelly saying Trump’s disappointment with NATO is clear and that 'the United States will remember.'
12:38 PM
Iran War Live Updates: Trump Berates Allies While Signaling He Will Wind Down the War
New information:
- The New York Times live blog reiterates that Trump told Britain’s Telegraph he is considering pulling the U.S. out of NATO over allies’ refusal to send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, framing NATO as effectively reconsidered (“beyond reconsideration”).
- It notes that in a Tuesday social‑media post Trump again berated U.S. allies, chiefly Britain, for not helping secure the Strait and said the United States would not come to their aid in the future.
- An Iranian official publicly stated that the Strait of Hormuz “will certainly reopen, but not for you,” underscoring Tehran’s intent to bar U.S. access even if traffic resumes.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. has achieved such control of Iran’s skies that B‑52 bombers are flying directly over Iranian territory, while still acknowledging Iran’s remaining missile and drone capabilities.
- Trump told reporters he believes he has achieved his primary goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, despite there being no evidence that U.S. or Israeli forces have destroyed Iran’s stockpile of near‑bomb‑grade nuclear fuel.
11:24 AM
Trump says he's considering pulling US out of NATO over Iran war stance
New information:
- Trump tells The Daily Telegraph he is 'strongly considering' pulling the U.S. out of NATO over the alliance’s refusal to join his administration’s efforts in the Iran conflict, specifically by sending warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- He reiterates that he has 'always' viewed NATO as a 'paper tiger' and claims Russian President Vladimir Putin 'knows that too.'
- Trump directly criticizes U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying the U.K. doesn’t 'even have a navy' and has 'aircraft carriers that didn’t work,' while Starmer publicly responds that Britain is 'fully committed to NATO' and calls it 'the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.'
- Trump frames NATO’s stance on Iran in contrast to U.S. support for Ukraine, arguing 'we’ve been there automatically' for allies and that NATO allies 'weren’t there for us.'
11:01 AM
Trump indicates he'll try to pull U.S. out of NATO
New information:
- CBS piece gives the exact question from The Telegraph and Trump’s fuller quote that NATO is 'a paper tiger' and that reconsidering membership is 'beyond' reconsideration.
- Article specifically notes, citing Congress.gov, that by law Trump would need advice and consent of two‑thirds of the Senate to withdraw or suspend membership.
- Story more directly connects Trump’s NATO comments to his anger at allies for not joining the Iran war despite his failure to consult them beforehand.
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted responding that the U.K. is 'fully committed to NATO' and calling it 'the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.'