Bangkok: U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during a speech at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday, saying the United States needs to be self-reliant and can no longer depend on external countries or factors.
According to Thai News Agency, the U.S. leader stated that the ancestors of the American people knew how to deal with their enemies: to defeat them decisively. He also noted that NATO had not been there for the U.S. in times of need, and the key lesson learned was the necessity of standing on its own two feet, a truth he hoped all citizens would understand.
Mr. Trump made these comments as some NATO members began distancing themselves from the US and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, which led to Iranian retaliation against its Gulf neighbors and reignited the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The war has left thousands dead and resulted in Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), leading to the most severe oil price crisis in history.