Trump questions NATO’s loyalty, says ‘If members don’t pay, US won’t defend them’

Founded in 1949 to counter the Soviet Union with Cold War tensions rising, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a political and military alliance of countries from North America and Europe.

Trump’s comments may trigger alarm bells across Europe and Asia, where leaders were already worried about a withdrawal of US security support after he clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and showed increased willingness to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier on Thursday, concerned European leaders supported plans to spend more on defence and pledged to continue to stand by Ukraine.

“I know some may have concerns about NATO’s future,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, as reported by news agency Reuters. “So let me be clear, the transatlantic relationship and the transatlantic partnership remains the bedrock of our alliance. President Trump has made clear the commitment of the US and his commitment personally to NATO, and it has also made clear the expectation that we in Europe must do more in terms of defence spending,” he added.

In the Oval Office, Trump said that NATO members were his friends but raised doubts about whether countries like France or a “couple of others” would defend the US in a time of crisis.

“You know the biggest problem I have with NATO? I mean, I know the guys very well. They’re friends of mine. But if the United States was in trouble, and we called them, we said, ‘We got a problem, France. We got a problem, couple of others I won’t mention. Do you think they’re going to come and protect us?’ They’re supposed to. I’m not so sure,” Trump said.

The alliance supported the US after the September 11 attacks, the only time in its history that the defence guarantee was invoked. Article 5 was invoked after the 2001 twin tower attacks, leading to NATO’s largest operation in Afghanistan, in which France’s military also participated. In Article 5 of the founding treaty, NATO members declared that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America “shall be considered an attack against them all.”

Trump on Thursday said he viewed NATO as “potentially good” if what he saw as the spending issue could be fixed. “They’re screwing us on trade,” he said of the security alliance. His comments criticizing NATO align with his long-standing stance against the alliance, yet they come at a time when there is increasing concern in the West about his close ties with Putin, who has consistently viewed NATO as a threat.

He had affirmed the United States’ commitments to the mutual defense of NATO as recently as last week during a press conference alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

At a meeting of European leaders in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron responded to Trump’s comments by saying France and other European countries had joined US troops in fighting in Afghanistan after 9/11. “Not only the French, but the Europeans were there when we were called for Afghanistan. And by the way, they weren’t politely warned when (the US left Afghanistan),” Macron said. “We are loyal and faithful allies,” he added.

Trump also mused on the US treaty alliance with Japan, which he affirmed in a joint statement with Tokyo last month as poised “to grow stronger than ever.”

The collective defense arrangement dates back to agreements made after the conclusion of hostilities in World War II.

“We have a great relationship with Japan, but we have an interesting deal with Japan that we have to protect them, but they don’t have to protect us. You know that? That’s the way the deal reads,” Trump said.

Trump has been pushing NATO’s 32 members to raise their minimum defence spending pledge from 2 per cent to 5 per cent of GDP, saying that Europe should shoulder more responsibility for its own security. As of 2023, total NATO defence spending reached $1.28 trillion.

(With inputs from Reuters)