Trump reportedly considers leaving NATO amid ongoing Iran conflict

Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist, said on Monday that European leaders are beginning to accept the possibility of a real “divorce” between NATO.

President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering withdrawing the United States from NATO over the alliance’s refusal to join his administration’s efforts in the Iran conflict, according to the report. Long-time critic of president military allianceThe United States, which has been vital in maintaining global order since World War II, said a reconsideration of the issue was “beyond consideration.”

Comments came later European countries reportedly He rejected Trump’s request that allies send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes. Iran has threatened or taken action to restrict access to the strait in response to a U.S. attack on Iranian targets, raising concerns about global energy markets and economic stability.

IMPORTANT ALLY OF THE USA IS BLOCKING AIRSPACE FOR MILITARY FLIGHTS OVER IRAN, DISTANCE WITH TRUMP INCREASED

Speaking with Fareed Zakaria on an episode of CNN’s “Global Public Square,” Beddoes talked about how European leaders are outraged by Trump’s latest statements.

“They are, you know, outraged about being called cowards and other insults by the US president, when the only time NATO Article 5 was applied was after 9/11 and thousands of European and NATO forces were serving with distinction in Afghanistan.” he said.

This, he noted, is in addition to European leaders’ concerns about their own energy needs as they rely heavily on fossil fuels from the Gulf.

“They see the impact on their economy. Moreover, now the US president and secretary of state are simply saying ‘NATO is over,'” he said.

TRUMP IS RIGHT ABOUT NATO’S WEAKNESS – THE REAL QUESTION IS HOW AMERICA WILL FIX IT

Satellite image shows the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, on October 2, 2024. (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE NEWS ON MEDIA AND CULTURE

“I think there’s a growing awareness in Europe, even among European countries that always see the glass as half full and always hope that they can have some kind of special relationship with the United States, that things might actually be different this time,” Beddoes said. he said.

He suggested the flare-up over Iran was the latest and perhaps most serious in a series of warnings from Trump, ranging from calls for Europeans to pay for their own defense (which he said was a good idea) to tariffs and “verbal attacks” on Greenland.

“I think there’s an acceptance in Europe that this could be a divorce,” he said.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION