“He told Reuters news agency on Wednesday he was 'absolutely without question' considering withdrawal after telling the Telegraph the matter was 'beyond reconsideration', insisting he had never been 'swayed by Nato'.”

“It could be politically and constitutionally difficult for Trump to bring about formal withdrawal from the 1949 Washington treaty, Nato’s founding document, but Ivo Daalder, US permanent representative at Nato headquarters from 2009 to 2013, argued the serious damage to the alliance has already been done.”

“Trump launched the war on Iran on 28 February in partnership with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, but without consulting Nato allies.”

“He did not invoke Article 5 of the treaty, which triggers collective defence from other members in the event of an 'an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America'. Such an attack, which would activate a joint response, had not taken place.”

“More than a month into the war, there is no sign of the regime change or collapse that Trump and Netanyahu had hoped for, and Tehran’s response – closing the economically-vital Strait of Hormuz – has caused an oil price spike and a worldwide shortage of fertiliser and other essential goods, threatening a global recession.”

“Trump has swung between claiming a negotiated end to the war was imminent and threatening a ground assault, while calling on US allies to join the fight and force the strait back open. None of Washington’s traditional partners has come forward.”

“Some European allies have declared the US-Israeli attack to be illegal and several have withheld the overflight rights and use of bases on their territory.”