Iran War: Trump threatens to pull US out of NATO over lack of support from allies

[0:00] Donald Trump says he's strongly considering pulling the U.S. out of the NATO alliance, [0:05] unhappy with the reluctance of some members to join offensive operations in the war with Iran. [0:11] With the latest, here's Paul Adams. [0:14] Iran is still firing back. [0:16] These drones aimed, it says, at American bases in the Middle East. [0:22] Donald Trump says Iran wants a ceasefire. [0:24] That's not yet how it looks. [0:26] The U.S. and Israel continue to bomb. [0:30] The president says it could all be over in two or three weeks. [0:34] But how to remove Iran's stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz, [0:38] the reluctance of Washington's NATO allies to get involved while the war still rages, [0:43] a source of mounting frustration. [0:46] Not for the first time, the president says he's had enough. [0:49] NATO, he told The Telegraph, is a paper tiger. [0:52] Pulling America out is beyond reconsideration. [0:56] Unfortunately, we are going to have to reexamine whether or not this alliance [1:01] that has served this country well for a while is still serving that purpose, [1:04] or is it now become a one-way street, where America is simply in a position to defend Europe, [1:09] but when we need the help of our allies, they're going to deny us basing rights, [1:13] and they're going to deny us overflight. [1:16] Britain has allowed American bombers to use RAF Fairford for what are described as purely defensive operations. [1:22] The prime minister determined to resist America's demands for more. [1:27] Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I'm going to act in the British national interest, [1:35] in all the decisions I make. [1:35] And that's why I've been absolutely clear that this is not our war, [1:40] and we're not going to get dragged into it. [1:44] Twenty-five years ago, a very different story. [1:46] British troops among a host of NATO members joining a U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan in the wake [1:53] of terrorist attacks on America, the only time NATO's collective defense clause has been invoked. [2:00] Donald Trump has long had a bumpy relationship with NATO, arguing during his first term [2:05] that members were exploiting American goodwill. [2:08] But 23 of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying, [2:15] and what they are supposed to be paying for their defense. [2:20] This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States. [2:25] This year, the president's threat to take over Greenland sent shockwaves through the alliance, [2:31] hardly surprising that when he decided to go to war with Iran, allies weren't rushing to his side. [2:37] Trump has never understood what NATO is from the very start in his first presidency. [2:42] NATO is a defensive alliance. [2:44] It's to have collective defense against an attack in Europe or North America against one of its members. [2:51] Very clear in the treaty. [2:52] It's not about following the U.S. into whatever war it chooses to undertake. [2:57] In Norway's Arctic North last month, a NATO exercise named, perhaps unfortunately, Cold Response. [3:05] Thanks to the war with Iran, is the alliance about to face its worst crisis yet? [3:10] Paul Adams, BBC News. [3:14] John O'Hugh is live at the White House for us. [3:16] Mr. Trump, he's never been a big fan of NATO. [3:19] Now he says he's considering pulling the U.S. out. [3:21] How easy would that be, Gary? [3:23] Well, the Constitution is pretty clear on the president's ability to make treaties. [3:31] He's allowed to do that with what's called the advice and consent of the Senate. [3:36] The problem is, the Constitution is absolutely silent on whether presidents can withdraw from treaties. [3:42] Now, the president has withdrawn from various treaties in the past, including the previous [3:47] treaty negotiated under President Obama, and he's withdrawn from other treaties, too. [3:52] Open skies, Paris climate, all those kinds of things. [3:56] So he could think he can do it. [3:58] The problem for him is that his very own secretary of state, Marco Rubio, sponsored an amendment [4:04] to the Defense Act just in 2023 that says the president can't withdraw from NATO without [4:10] an act of Congress or, again, two-thirds of the Senate voting for it. [4:14] So that would have to be tested in the court. [4:16] So that's one thing. [4:18] The other thing, of course, is that NATO, its own articles, requires anyone who wants [4:22] to withdraw, no country ever has, to notify the U.S. that it wants to do so and give a [4:26] year's notice. [4:27] Well, the Americans would have to tell themselves they want to withdraw and then tell everyone [4:31] else. [4:32] Now, on the address tonight, we're hearing that the Iranians have issued an open letter [4:36] to the American people saying it's time for engagement, not conflict. [4:41] The president is going to give an important update on epic fury, and the White House has [4:45] released a kind of whole list. [4:46] Thank you. [4:46] Thank you.