US4 min(s) read
Published 16:34 01 Apr 2026 GMT
Donald Trump reveals key message of his speech that will be shown on every TV channel in the US tonight
Donald Trump has revealed that he plans to use his speech to the nation this evening to discuss the US leaving NATO.
Of course, there will be other discussion points on the table - this is Donald Trump, after all - but there will be one key message he wants to get across.
Donald Trump is locked in an argument with NATO allies
Donald Trump doesn’t just go to war with his enemies.
Sometimes, he goes to war in different ways with those who are supposed to be his friends.
While he conducted operations in Venezuela and Iran and is reportedly considering an attack on Cuba, he has also punched out at Denmark, the UK and other significant allies over their stance on various issues.
One key factor is the lack of assistance that the USA is getting in Iran, specifically with reference to the key oil route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has spoken at length about how he wants help from others to control the region, few have been forthcoming, and he’s clearly losing patience with NATO.
Now, as he is set to deliver a huge speech to the whole nation this evening at 9:00pm ET, he’s revealed that the USA’s place in the treaty organization is up for debate.
He told Reuters: “I’ll be discussing my disgust with NATO [during the speech].”
He added: “Oh, absolutely without question. Wouldn’t you do that if you were me?”
Trump appears close to ending things with NATO altogether
In another interview with The Telegraph, Trump said that America’s position in NATO is ‘beyond reconsideration’.
“I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin knows that too, by the way.”
But what would that mean for the other 31 countries in NATO and the US if one of the key powers of the bloc was to withdraw?
What would happen if Trump decided to leave NATO?
If Trump decided to pull the plug on the USA’s involvement with the political and military group, they’d be shooting themselves in the foot somewhat.
The NATO website states that the purpose of the group is to ‘safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries and their one billion people’.
Members are therefore ‘committed to protecting each other from any threat’.
So, the US loses that to start with.
It also loses access to other countries’ military bases around the world, which would be a problem.
According to one report in Modern Diplomacy, this could have a massively detrimental effect on the US Navy, if they were to lose access to friendly ports.
The article adds: "Our bombers couldn’t reach targets halfway around the world without support from allies.”
Sure, the US could survive just fine alone - after all, Russia claims that it does - but it would undoubtedly be stronger as part of the union of countries.
Can Donald Trump decide to leave NATO?
As for whether Trump has the power to take this decision, it’s definitely true that he could put the question out there.
However, in 2023 a law was passed that stated that the US would need congressional approval to withdraw from NATO.
But, these things can and do happen, as the UK proved in 2016 with the Brexit vote to leave the European Union.
As for NATO, if the US decided to leave, it would still be a bloc with 31 members including the big powers of Europe and Canada, so while they wouldn’t be thrilled with the USA leaving, it would be able to continue.