US President Donald Trump has intensified his rhetoric against NATO, suggesting the United States may not fulfill its defense obligations to the alliance following what he described as a betrayal by European allies in the Middle East.

Speaking at an investment forum in Miami on Friday, President Trump expressed deep frustration over the refusal of NATO members to commit military forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategic waterway has remained virtually paralyzed since the start of the US-Israeli offensive against Iran a month ago, causing global energy prices to skyrocket.

"They just weren't there," Trump told the audience. "We spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on NATO, protecting them, and we would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don't have to be, do we?"

The President’s comments follow weeks of mounting tension between Washington and its traditional Western partners. While key powers—including Britain, France, Germany, and Japan—have stated they are ready to "contribute to appropriate efforts," they have stopped short of making any firm military commitments to the region.

Trump, who recently labeled NATO members "COWARDS" and dismissed the alliance as a "paper tiger" without American backing, doubled down on his stance. "Why would we be there for them if they're not there for us? They weren't there for us," he insisted.

On Thursday, the President took to his Truth Social platform to further distance the US from the bloc, stating that the United States "needs nothing from NATO."

He added that "NATO nations have done absolutely nothing to help with the lunatic nation, now militarily decimated, of Iran."

The escalating diplomatic rift raises serious questions about the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the collective security of Europe at a time of extreme global volatility.

Source: AFP