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Trump Says NATO Withdrawal On the Table Amid Rift With Allies Over Iran War
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US President Donald Trump told Reuters on April 1 that the United States would be withdrawing from Iran “pretty quickly.”
He noted that the military would remain prepared for “spot hits” if the new Iranian leadership failed to comply with American demands. In a phone interview conducted just hours before a scheduled primetime address to the nation, Trump indicated that the war, now in its fifth week, is entering a transition phase.
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Under significant domestic pressure to find an “off-ramp” amid soaring gasoline prices, the president intends to use his 9 p.m. EDT speech to discuss the way forward for US forces while also addressing what he described as a betrayal by NATO allies, according to Reuters.
A primary focus of Trump’s upcoming address will be the status of the United States’ membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Trump expressed “disgust” with the alliance, stating that he is “absolutely” considering an attempt to withdraw from NATO due to what he perceives as a complete lack of support for American military objectives in Iran.
He characterized the relationship as a “one-way street” where allies have failed to stand by Washington during a time of need. “They haven’t been friends when we needed them,” Trump said, criticizing the organization ratified by the Senate in 1949 as no longer serving US interests, Reuters wrote.
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Regarding the objective of the military campaign, Trump asserted that American action has ensured Iran will not possess a nuclear weapon. He claimed that the US has successfully made the regime “incapable” of developing such technology, rendering the continued presence of a large ground force unnecessary.
While Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful, Trump dismissed concerns about remaining enriched uranium stockpiles buried underground, stating that satellite surveillance would allow the US to monitor the situation without an active occupation. “I’ll leave, and I’ll take everybody with me,” the president told Reuters, adding that future strikes would be localized and specific.
Trump also confirmed that the conflict has resulted in “full regime change” in Tehran following airstrikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. While he noted that regime change was not his original goal, he described it as a product of the war’s casualties that has now created a “very good chance” for a new diplomatic agreement.
The president expressed hope for a deal with the new leaders in Iran, claiming they are exhausted by the conflict and “don’t want to be blasted anymore.”
While President Trump claims the regime is now “incapable” of developing weapons, the conflict has incurred heavy technical costs—notably the recent strike on Prince Sultan Air Base that reportedly crippled half of the US Air Force’s rare EC-130H Compass Call fleet.
As soaring gasoline prices and a deepening rift with NATO allies accelerate the search for an “off-ramp,” the White House is pivoting toward a strategy of offshore deterrence and targeted “spot hits.”
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