WASHINGTON, March 17. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump is convinced that he could have decided on Washington's withdrawal from NATO without the participation of the US Congress.

"I don't need Congress for that decision. As you probably know, I can make that decision myself. I'd work with some very smart people, and I'd always deal with Congress anyway, but I don't need Congress for that decision," he told reporters when asked whether he is currently reviewing relations with NATO in light of the refusal of European allies to participate in Washington's proposed potential military operation in the Strait of Hormuz, and whether the US may withdraw from the bloc.

Trump said he was not currently raising the issue of withdrawing from NATO. "When you  say, rethink, I'm not. I have nothing currently in mind, but I will say that I'm not exactly thrilled when we helped them with Ukraine," he said.

Trump blamed NATO, among other things, for exacerbating the problem of the US national debt and federal budget deficits.

"We spent trillions of dollars on NATO. Think of it, trillions over the years, many trillions of dollars. It's one of the reasons we have deficits and we help other countries and when they don't help us it's certainly something that we should think about," the US president added.