DONALD Trump is reportedly mulling “punishing” some Nato members who he has deemed “unhelpful” during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The US President and his administration would pull US troops out of certain Nato countries and move them to others that have been more “supportive”, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal.
The proposal – which is reportedly in “early conception” – would fall short of Trump’s threats to withdraw from the alliance completely.
By law, he would not be able to remove the US from Nato without Congress.
It comes after Trump is reportedly weighing leaving the alliance as he met with Nato boss Mark Rutte on Wednesday.
It’s yet to be revealed what the pair spoke about in the high-stakes meeting at the White House.
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Rutte reportedly entered the West Wing through a side gate before doors were tightly shut behind them for the top-secret chat.
The former Dutch premier only revealed he had a “frank and open” discussion with Trump as the US leader expressed disappointment with America’s allies.
“Not all European nations lived up to those commitments and I completely understand he is disappointed about it,” Rutte told CNN during an interview after the meeting.
He added: “I was also able to point to the fact that the large majority of European nations has been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lift up to the commitments.”
Rutte said he felt the meeting was between “friends”.
“I really admire his leadership and he knows what he did in The Hague, last year at the Nato summit, has been crucial,” he said.
Trump earlier said that with Iran, “Nato was tested and they failed”, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Before the meeting, Leavitt said it was “sad that Nato has turned their backs on the American people, when it’s the American people who’ve been funding their defence”.
She added that Trump and Rutte would have “a frank and candid conversation”.
The US president has repeatedly branded the alliance a “paper tiger” throughout his war in Iran, slamming allies for not coming to his aid in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said last week he was on the verge of leaving Nato after the alliance’s “terrible” show of support in the Middle East.
The US president even branded his allies as “cowards” in late March, ranting: “Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran.
“Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.
“So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!”
Trump had asked for help re-opening the vital shipping lane, urging allies including the UK to send warships to the strait, before later claiming he didn’t need or want any assistance.
Experts warned The Sun last week that pulling the US out of Nato would be among the “worst crises in the alliance’s history” and spark months of panic.