Trump threatens NATO exit, scaling up tensions with allies

Tensions between the United States and NATO allies flared up as President Donald ​Trump said he was considering pulling the U.S. out of the military alliance due to its European members' refusing to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

NATO, ‌which includes European countries, the United States and Canada, was formed in 1949 with the aim of countering the risk of Soviet attack and has been the cornerstone of the West's security ever since.

Trump told Reuters on Wednesday that he would state in an address to the nation later in the day that he was "absolutely" considering withdrawing the U.S. from the NATO alliance.

"I'll be discussing my disgust with NATO," he said of the speech. ​Asked if he was thinking about pulling out of NATO, he said: "Oh, absolutely without question. Wouldn't you do that if you were me?"

Trump's remarks came just hours after his ​Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO's collective defence, a concept that lies at the heart of the alliance.