Why Trump’s comments about NATO allies are controversial

Former President Donald Trump has sparked controversy and a backlash after he said that he would support Russia attacking the United States’ allies in NATO that do not pay what he considers to be their fair share of defence spending.

The facts

Trump made these remarks at a rally in South Carolina on Friday, February 9, 2024, where he criticised the NATO alliance and its members for not meeting the agreed target of spending 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence.

“If I were president, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. If they don’t pay, I would say, ‘Go ahead, Russia, have a good time. I’m not going to protect countries that are not paying. I’m not going to lose tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of lives, protecting countries that aren’t paying. It’s not fair to us,” Trump said.

The current US administration has widely condemned Trump’s comments, NATO officials, European leaders, and security experts have accused him of undermining the security and the stability of the transatlantic alliance, and of endangering the lives and the interests of the US and its allies.

The arguments

Trump’s comments violate the core principle of the NATO alliance, which is the collective defence clause, also known as Article 5. This clause states that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all allies and that all allies will assist the attacked ally.

This clause has been invoked only once in the history of the alliance, after the 9/11 attacks on the US, when all the NATO allies came to the aid of the US and joined the war on terror.

By suggesting that he would not defend the allies that do not pay enough, Trump is breaking the mutual trust and the solidarity that are essential for the alliance to function and to survive.

Trump also ignored the fact that the US benefits from the NATO alliance, not only in terms of security, but also in terms of economy, trade, and diplomacy. The NATO allies are some of the closest and most reliable partners of the US, who share its values, interests, and goals.

The NATO allies also contribute to the US-led missions and operations around the world, such as in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, and provide the US with access to their bases, territories, and resources. The NATO allies also trade with the US and invest in the US economy, creating jobs and opportunities for the American people.

Others also say that his comments encourage and embolden Russia, which is the main adversary and the threat to the NATO alliance, and to the US and its allies. Russia, under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, has been pursuing an aggressive and expansionist policy in Europe and beyond, violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbours, such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.

Trump’s comments have further raised questions and concerns about his motives and his connections to Russia, which have been the subject of investigations and speculations since his 2016 presidential campaign.

He has been accused of having personal and financial ties to Russia, and of being compromised and influenced by Putin. He still wears the label of being soft and friendly to Putin, and of being hostile and dismissive to the NATO allies.

He has, however, denied these allegations and has claimed that he has been tough and fair to both Russia and the NATO allies.