Trump says U.S. strongly considering NATO exit, Telegraph newspaper says

LONDON, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back U.S. military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph.

Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defence pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported. He said he had long held doubts about NATO's credibility.

"Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration," Trump told the newspaper when asked about whether he would reconsider U.S. membership of the alliance after the conflict.

"I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way."