Trump threatens to leave NATO if allies don’t help reopen the strait. But it’s not his decision.
Threat to Leave NATO
The Wall Street Journal reports Trump Raises NATO Withdrawal as Allies Push Back on Iran War
President Trump has raised with his advisers the possibility of withdrawing from NATO if allies don’t help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials said, as growing tensions with Europeans threaten the alliance that has been the foundation of the post-World War II order.
He hasn’t explicitly given an order to pull the U.S. out of the alliance that has stood for more than three-quarters of a century, the officials said. But they added that Trump has discussed leaving NATO or potentially finding ways to weaken the U.S. commitment to the organization. Trump has made no final decision about the future of the U.S. role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the officials said.
Trump’s comments, made recently to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others in private conversations, come as he urges Europeans to pry open the Strait of Hormuz so the U.S. can end its military campaign against Iran. He has railed against NATO for not joining U.S.-Israeli military efforts against Iran.
When asked about Trump’s private comments, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said “President Trump has made his disappointment with NATO and other allies clear, and as the president emphasized, ‘the United States will remember.’”
Trump’s conversations about the U.S. role in NATO come as European leaders have hardened their stances toward Trump. Polls show the Iran war is deeply unpopular among European voters. Even leaders who were once considered among the U.S. president’s closest allies have expressed growing frustration with him over the Iran conflict and his demands.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who once boasted about his close relationship with Trump, said last week that he had firmly rejected the president’s demand to help open the Strait of Hormuz in a phone call between the two leaders. He said the way the U.S. president was speaking about Germany and Europe was unacceptable.
“I told him, if you wanted our help, you should have asked earlier instead of going to the newspapers now,” Merz said.
Trump and others in his administration have been publicly airing their frustrations with NATO allies. Trump told a British newspaper, the Telegraph, in an interview that he was strongly considering pulling the U.S. out of NATO.
On Fox News Tuesday, Rubio signaled that after the war Trump would rethink whether the U.S. should remain in NATO.
“Unfortunately, after this conflict has concluded, we are going to have to re-examine that relationship, we are going to have to re-examine the value of NATO and that alliance for our country,” he told host Sean Hannity. “Ultimately, that’s a decision for the president to make, and he’ll have to make it.”
Nations Rebuking Trump
The UK, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany Greece, Australia, and Japan all have said no to Trump’s request for aid. Some refused air space.
Spain Refuses Air Space
Italy Blocks Air Space
France Blocks Air Space
United Kingdom
I applaud the decision of every country above. NATO is a defense treaty.
Trump unilaterally started this war. It is a mess of Trump’s making.
Returning to NATO. Trump is bluffing again.
Meaningless Threat
The discussion of leaving NATO is expected, but also ridiculous.
The ridiculousness of the threat has nothing to do with the merits of leaving NATO. Rather, the political reality is Trump cannot unilaterally leave NATO.
A law passed by Congress in 2023 prohibits a president from unilaterally withdrawing the U.S. from NATO.
Leaving NATO would take a two-thirds vote in the Senate or a joint act of Congress. Rubio championed the legislation when he was in the Senate.
Rubio Irony
The measure was Spearheaded by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), in the annual Rubio nal Defense Authorization Act
The bipartisan attempt to add checks and balances highlights the lengths Congress is willing to go to protect the U.S.-NATO relationship amid ongoing Russian aggression and after years of criticism of the military alliance during Trump’s presidential tenure.
Rubio said in a statement: “The Senate should maintain oversight on whether or not our nation withdraws from NATO. We must ensure we are protecting our national interests and protecting the security of our democratic allies.”
A Question of Standing
The pertinent question is who would have standing to file a lawsuit.
Here’s an article that discusses Separation of Powers and NATO Withdrawal and the question of standing.
I propose any number of weapons manufacturers would easily have standing.
There are insufficient votes in Congress to leave NATO. So Trump’s threat to leave NATO is dead already, regardless of the merits of the idea.
Rubio and Trump look like idiots.
This war is for Israel and its theocracy.
He did not include NATO in the plan.
He did not invite their participation.
He did not allow them time to prepare for the economic aftershocks.
He chastised our allies publicly before giving time for diplomacy.
He lied that there were nuclear weapons.
He attacked Iran during negotiations when they were ascent to his demands.
Hormuz is only closed by the insurance companies because of the US/Israel/Iran war.
Trump is responsible for the entire mess…
For the record, Zionism, Christian or Jewish, approves of pedophilia, child sacrifice and satanism. This cult even deserves its own name, Epsteinism.
So let’s start from the beginning on this one shall we. NATO was formed in 1949. Its primary purpose, was to protect one another against the Soviet Union during tho Cold War. It was mostly, sort of a pact of European Countries and the U.S. which I believe instigated the thought. The NATO members committed to protect one another from all threats as well.
Fast forward to today, and some things have changed. Firstly and most importantly, is America is much more massive militarily than back in 1949. We no longer need protection from threats, but we still stand by our Ally’s when necessary from threats from other Nations with the goal to harm. Iran is a perfect example, and why many Countries are so happy with the U.S. for ridding the World of a continual death threat from them! Iran has not been nice to surrounding Countries and the people in there own Country for that matter…
Now let’s look at the NATO compensation packages, as they stood in 2024 (last data?). The U.S. Pays 16% of the NATO Budget. All other Countries ONLY pay 2% of there GDP. If it’s truly for protection, then we shouldn’t be paying anything to anyone. Which brings up another question. Why are we then paying NATO 16% when they are not needed, and have at times not helped us I do believe, or threatened not to.
We have helped many Countries on our side of things and will continue to do so. Why wouldn’t we?
NATO uses the money for Military Operations, some programs that I am not quite sure exactly what they do, and readiness, that should be the Countries job, and have very little to do with NATO.
NATO should be a simple PACT to assist one another (Countries in NATO) if needed during times of turmoil, stress, products, technology etc. Every Member should pay equal amounts, as we are all equal. We may have more money, but we have the Military to pay for, that’s helping protect those in NATO currently. That small amount is merely for Administrative Cost.
If the U.S. leaves NATO, as a matter of law, the treaty should remain in force for the other 31 members, despite a US departure profoundly affecting the alliance. The U.S. would stand by NATO Countries that wish to work with them, and be Ally’s of course. I don’t think it will come to this though.
Note: No member has ever left NATO. In Article 13 within the Treaty are the rules for such action. It takes 1 Year before you are officially able to be removed from the Treaty.
Hear ye … Hear ye … peasantry … now substituting TITO for NATO (the Trump-Israeli Treaty Organization).
Trump is just a pissy little man baby, having a toddler tantrum because European leaders (and the rest of the world) are sick of his BS. Only his lackeys and lickspittles in the government, and his window-licking supporters still take him seriously.
The only way to dial down all this chaos is for people to stop amplifying Trump’s behaviour and attention‑seeking posts.
In other news ….
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/01/politics/live-news/supreme-court-birthright-trump
I hear Trump stormed out when the justices appeared skeptical
It’s just proof that he’s not getting (or listening to) good advice from anyone around him. We know more here from Mish’s blog than the president does.
Yes, this is very common for autocrats, they surround themselves with people who say what they want to hear and do not have the courage to contradict the boss.
Methinks Mish was right
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-exit-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-case-11769414
Sounds like a good plan.
With the loss of bases in the middle east and Europe, we will have more difficulty projecting power accross the Globe.
We should be able to replace 80 year old treaties. Granted not on Trump’s whim, but this isnt anywhere near the worse thing to be done.
“but this isnt anywhere near the worse thing to be done.”
That is NOT a very high bar.
Trump says this and then Trump says that? As of now if you still take It —-as a trustworthy rule— than you fell for another of Donalds– 365 Day–April Fools.
All these EU countries (also the UK) are now chock full of potentially hostile male Muslim immigrants.
Might just make their governments think twice about supporting an unprovoked war against a Muslim country – don’t ya think?
Racist much?
War Amnesia by Trump. 970 lbs of enriched uranium (enough for 10-12 nuclear bombs) WAS enough to start a war. Incredulously now it somehow isn’t.
” it was no longer a worry” my ass. Either it was and is, or it never was – all in about a month.
“970 pounds of near-bomb-grade enriched uranium that international inspectors say is likely buried at two sites in Iran — enough to make 10 to a dozen bombs — Mr. Trump said “it was no longer a worry”.
Will see his latest weasaling at his “April Fools Speech” tonight.
Neither are the Epstein files. Mission Accomplished!
I am so proud of Trump’s negotiation skills, NOT! By telling the world he will be pulling out in 2 to 3 weeks, he just told the Iranians how long they need to hold out. This fool giving his address to the nation should be titled April fool’s day address by the nation’s top fool.
That is only if you can believe things that are said.
I believe they will accurately reflect the day being April Fools Day
Every POTUS has resorted to bombing some poor country before mid terms to rally his base around a war time POTUS. It’s as Usonian as apple pie. The difference is that the 🍊 is not as cunning as his predecessors and surrounded himself not with better informed and educated people than him, but the worse ones and picked Iran, ignoring that it can and does shoot back.
While President Trump needs US Congresses approval to withdraw from NATO.
He does have the ability to render NATO mute if he chooses to withdraw US Service personnel based in Europe. Or chooses to end the 5 Eyes programme and stop Intelligence sharing.
5 eyes was already impacted when the NATO members stopped sharing information in the Gulf of Mexico. They all said they won’t participate in sinking fishing boats as that constitutes a crime.
~1941, Charles Lindbergh presciently said something along the lines of ‘If the US allows itself to be drawn into this war, they will be tightly tied to and embroiled with Europe forever.’
(FDR and US media–controlled by non-Canadians–did the drawing.)
Mish Trump does not have to “leave” NATO in an official treaty sense. All he has to do is to say he will not honor the treaty commitments.
I haven’t heard any one demanding Freedom Fries in March 2026 🙂 Maybe that Iran war is a bit unpopular.
Leaving NATO comes with pros and cons.
Pros – 1/ It enables full and fast pivot to Asia 2/ No risk of getting involved in a war with Russia due to stupid antiques of Baltic states or Poland 3/ No need to be a judge&sheriff keeping order in Europe 4/ Throwing Ukraine under the bus means possibility of making some common sense deals with Russia 5/ It makes invasion of Greenland easier
Cons – A/ No military basis in Europe (and Greenland) and more difficult logistics to get to Israel and to Middle East B/ Europe may get closer to China and may normalize its relations with Russia. C/ Letting Europe alone means losing control over its energy policy and partially losing an important oil&gas customer D/ Europe may again resurface as a competitor of US in financial sphere as euro is important reserve currency E/ Stronger Europe means a potential trade war with the US
It seems to be a good option from military point of view and a problematic option from geopolitical, economic and financial points of view.
Con-no one trusts anything we say.
You say pros and cons, but I read pros and pros. Let us focus and invest on the welfare and prosperity and security our nation, not of others.
Well our (ahem) allies in Europe, whose security has been big-brother-backed for decades, have soured as allies ..as have we. Might as well get on with the breakup and let them spend themselves into having standing armies, navies, missile defenses. Let them decide if their security is truly in hand and if their own version of ethnic / refugee invasion is manageable. I’m okay with that. But I don’t have a say and it’ll never happen. This blog comment section will all bash the US and be for more globalism but the world, with the financial imbalances all around, is likely turning inward/isolationism once again. Maybe in 2 years we’ll go back to globalism but methinks that even a domestic political change won’t resume that tired tripe.
The Soviet Union fell in 1991, and the Europeans have had no enemies or potential threats since then. The “refugee invasion” was caused by the US attack on Iraq. The US pulling out of NATO would be the best thing that could ever happen to Europe.
Europe would have no security concerns worth talking about, but for American adventurism.
Except Putin
The idea that Russia is itching to play “Risk!” is absurd.
So, the U.S. starts a war without consulting anyone but Israel, then expects NATO allies to pitch in because the war resulted in disruption of petroleum supplies to them.
Trump says Iran asked for a ceasefire. Iran denied it. Who are you going to believe, Trump or Iran?
Trump’s recent remarks about the war ending soon are nauseating. They are made purely for market manipulation.
kushner jr and bibi started war!
and the markets swallow every fart coming from Trumps mouth. This is not investing, markets are a high stakes casino that don’t follow reality markets they follow BS.
Only a Trump Cultist will believe Trump before Iran. This is how far the USA has fallen in 14-15 months under Trump.
Anyone notice last week the EU parliament has voted on ICE-ificaiton of Europe. They have not been able to stop the flow so the word is that they are modeling this after the ICE program in the US.
———————————————————
https://rebelnews.ie/2026/03/20/the-eu-is-paving-the-way-for-ice-style-deportations/
In many parts of the EU, national police officers, border guard and coast guard authorities are already engaged in mass expulsions, arbitrary detention and violence against migrants and operate with impunity.
Alongside plans for “return hubs”, there are also plans to try to expand states’ powers to detain and remove people domestically, extending the length of immigration detention, widening the grounds on which people can be incarcerated, and expanding enforcement measures intended to secure deportations.
Among these is a new provision allowing authorities to conduct investigations and home raids, with searches extending beyond the homes of those facing removal to other “relevant premises”, which could potentially include the homes of citizens suspected of sheltering undocumented people, as well as spaces used by humanitarian organisations.
The Mega Warehouse detentions centers now being opened up by ICE across the United States might seem a world away from Europe on the face of it – but the EU has created the conditions for this to become the reality here too.
Europe isn’t as brazenly uncivilized as America. I doubt they will hire white supremist groups, kill civilians, and ignore the abuse like America can.
No one has an issue with deportation of illegal aliens. Its the cruelty and lies. Deported because of a 20 year old traffic ticket is hardly reasonable. More so when you look at our adminstrations impressive criminal record.
There’s a reason why my grandparents left Europe: it’s brazenly uncivilized when the going gets tough. They’ll start eating and killing each other in no time. It’s their history: a century doesn’t go by without a couple of major European wars.
Strange days….Remember Brexit? Remember all those discussions about how the UK would be better off without the EU…well…well…well. The UK didn’t count on Trump I guess.
https://www.politico.eu/article/volatile-world-requires-britain-uk-get-close-eu-keir-starmer/
LONDON — The “volatile” international situation requires Britain to build a closer relationship with the European Union, Keir Starmer has said.
Addressing reporters at Downing Street on Wednesday the U.K. prime minister said London and Brussels will flesh out plans for “closer economic cooperation” and tighter security ties at an upcoming summit.
“It is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union,” Starmer said.
The UK rejoin the EU? Lol. I frequently bring up demographics and populations here for a reason: safety in numbers. The UK isn’t as dumb as I thought.
The Europeon version of “more cowbell” is “more Europe”. Their imbecilic leaders’ answer to everything is to tether themselves together even tighter to the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. It’s no coincidence that both the Europeon Union and NATO are based in Brussels. At least Spain and Italy are saying “no” to the US using bases in those countries to attack Iran. Meanwhile, Starmer (who always looks like he just saw a ghost) buckled and allowed use of Diego Garcia and is promising to send 2,500 Special Boat Service personnel. Hey Keir – I thought this wasn’t your war. Did your wife correct you on that?
Putin’s certainly getting his money’s worth out of Trump, don’t you think?
usa gov runs 2.9 trln deficit!
taxes are about 5 – 5.5 trln
debt is 39 trln
putin;s fault too?
derp
Most of the world will likely survive and recover, but I’m not sure the United States will survive without long term and irreparable damage. Trump and his Zionist owners/”allies” have done horrific harm to our nation. Our short term pain looks like it will be long-term and devastating pain. I suspect the billionaire Oligarchs cannot manipulate and prop up the markets for much longer. Get ready for change– very painful and long term pain. The Empire may be on it’s last legs.
dont be fool!
usa is still rich, and pretty powerful!
usa can cut 500 bil from defense budget and still spend twice more than china w/ 1.5 bil people
You forgot to subtract the grift.
“Our short term pain looks like it will be long-term and devastating pain”
MAGA = Microsoft – Amazon – Google – Apple.!
The Only Growth In The Economy Right Now Is The Building Of The ‘Digital Prison’ – ‘Epstein’ PDF Billionaire’s Dragging Everyone Into:
‘AI Skynet’ – Total Surveillance – Digital ID.
All the while Trump’s unrepentant voters are self-assuring this is how we dominate the world and make the USA better.
Leave NATO? Promises, promises.
Promises, promises
You knew you’d never keep
Rubio Downplays Damage To US From Closure Of Strait Of HormuzMarco made an appearance on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox this Tuesday
Secretary of State Marco Rubio thinks we’re all idiots.
he is mo11ron , doesn’t have clue about real life
he is blubber mouth
… in oversized shoes.