Trump threatens to 'punish' Starmer for 'turning back' on him with Iran betrayal

US President Donald Trump and his administration are weighing up a plan to withdraw American troops from NATO ally nations deemed unhelpful during the US conflict with Iran.

It is understood that the troops would be redeployed to countries that have shown greater support for the US military campaign.

The US and Israel have conducted joint strikes on a number of Iranian targets since February 28. Iran has hit back by launching attacks against nations across the Middle East, plunging the entire region into turmoil.

On Tuesday, April 7, Trump announced a two-week ceasefire, which now appears to be teetering on the edge as Israel presses on with strikes on Lebanon, while Kuwait and the UAE faced missile and drone attacks on Wednesday.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the Trump administration is mulling over a plan to penalise certain NATO alliance members it believes were unhelpful to the US and Israel throughout the Iran conflict, citing a Wall Street Journal report referencing administration officials, reports the Mirror.

NATO, a 32-member alliance established in 1949 to counter the threat of Soviet aggression, now focuses on safeguarding member nations through a collective defence pledge, whereby an attack on one member is regarded as an attack on all. It has long been regarded as the bedrock of Western security.

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly labelled NATO a “paper tiger” that proves ineffective in times of genuine need. Trump has threatened to pull out of the transatlantic alliance, condemning European allies for what he described as insufficient backing for the US-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a press briefing: “It’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it’s the American people who have been funding their defence.”

Leavitt added that Trump would have a “very frank and candid conversation” with NATO chief Mark Rutte, who visited the president at the White House on Wednesday.