Trump calls NATO ‘paper tiger’, questions allies

Washington: US President Donald Trump sharply criticised NATO, calling it a “paper tiger” and questioning whether Washington should continue defending allies that, he said, failed to support the United States in times of need.

Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative Priority Summit in Miami, Trump said the alliance had not backed the US when it mattered. “NATO is a paper tiger,” he said, adding, “They didn’t come to our aid.”

In unusually blunt remarks, Trump suggested a reassessment of US commitments to the alliance. “Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us?” he said, describing NATO’s response as a “tremendous mistake.”

Trump recounted conversations with key European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, saying offers of support came only after military action had concluded. “As soon as the war is over, we will send ships,” he quoted Macron as saying, adding, “I don’t want them when the war is over.”

He also criticised the United Kingdom’s response, saying aircraft carriers would be made available only weeks later. “When the war is finished, we will be there,” Trump said, mocking the delayed support.

The President extended his criticism to Germany, referring to its leadership’s remarks that the conflict was not their concern. “This is not our war, we have nothing to do,” he said, attributing the comment to Germany’s chancellor.

Trump said the lack of support reinforced his long-standing view of NATO. “I’ve always said NATO is a paper tiger… we help NATO, but they’ll never help us,” he said.

“It’s going to make a lot of money for the United States, because we spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on NATO,” Trump said, indicating that future US commitments could be reconsidered.

However, Trump praised several Middle Eastern countries for their support, saying they had stood by the US more firmly than NATO members. “They were standing up more so than NATO,” he said, adding that Washington had “tremendous support from countries that were not in the general area.”

IANS