Trending Now - Trump's NATO Criticism Sparks Debate on U.S. Commitment
WHO:
9News.com.au - President Donald Trump, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), Canada, the UK, France, Denmark, and 28 other European countries.
9News.com.au - Trump, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, King Willem-Alexander, and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
WHAT:
9News.com.au - Trump stated, "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way," when asked about US membership in NATO.
9News.com.au - Trump described NATO as a "one-way street" in a statement to Reuters on April 5th, 2026.
9News.com.au - Trump has threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO multiple times since his first term.
9News.com.au - Trump stated that NATO is "beyond reconsideration" when asked about US membership.
9News.com.au - Trump described NATO as a "paper tiger" and claimed that "Putin knows that too."
9News.com.au - The US accounts for roughly two-thirds of NATO's total defense spending.
9News.com.au - NATO members agreed to raise their defense spending target to five percent of their GDP by 2035.
9News.com.au - The US spends about 3.4 percent of its GDP on defense, equating to almost $1 trillion.
WHERE:
9News.com.au - The White House, Washington, D.C.
9News.com.au - The Hague, Netherlands, where the 2025 NATO summit took place.
WHEN:
9News.com.au - Trump signed an executive order on March 31st, 2026.
9News.com.au - The 2025 NATO summit occurred on June 24th, 2025.
9News.com.au - A law passed in 2023 makes it illegal for a president to withdraw the US from NATO without Senate or Congressional approval.
WHY:
9News.com.au - Trump has criticized NATO members for failing to assist the US military in Iran, despite the US not being under attack when it launched a joint war against Iran.
9News.com.au - Trump has criticized NATO for its failure to assist US military objectives in Iran.
9News.com.au - Trump believes that the US does more for NATO than its European members.
HOW:
9News.com.au - A law passed in 2023 makes it illegal for a president to withdraw the US from NATO without Senate or Congressional approval, introduced after Trump's threats raised concerns about his power to withdraw.
9News.com.au - To withdraw from NATO, Trump would need to convince the Senate or Congress to support his decision.
9News.com.au - Trump must provide NATO countries with formal written notice of withdrawal one year before it can take effect, as stated in Article 13 of the NATO charter.
(UPDATED April 5, 2026 01:18 UTC)
on Sunday, Trump made headlines by stating that he was never swayed by NATO, calling it a "paper tiger" and a "one-way street" in a statement to Reuters. He criticized NATO members for not supporting the U.S. military in Iran, despite the U.S. not being under attack during the joint military action. This comes after a law passed in 2023, which requires Senate or Congressional approval for any president to withdraw the U.S. from NATO, a measure introduced due to concerns over Trump's previous threats to leave the alliance.
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(UPDATED April 4, 2026 15:05 UTC)
President Trump has reiterated his threats to withdraw the United States from NATO, describing the alliance as a "paper tiger" and claiming that "Putin knows that too." Despite his criticisms, a law passed in 2023 requires any president to secure Senate or Congressional approval before making such a move, and NATO members have recently agreed to increase their defense spending target to five percent of GDP by 2035. The U.S. currently spends about 3.4 percent of its GDP on defense, which amounts to nearly $1 trillion, highlighting its significant financial commitment to the alliance.