Trump considers ending automatic defense of NATO allies

US President Donald Trump is considering re-evaluating Washington’s role within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), potentially to the point of abandoning the obligation to automatically defend allies in the event of an attack.

NBC News, citing three current and one former senior US officials and a member of Congress, reported that the US might withdraw its protection commitments to NATO members who do not meet their defense spending targets.

According to sources, Trump discussed the idea of altering the US’s participation in the alliance with his closest aides, suggesting prioritizing countries that allocate a certain percentage of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense needs.

This could mean that if a country that has not reached the determined defense spending level is attacked, Washington may not be obligated to provide military assistance.

NBC News emphasizes that if this concept were implemented, it would be the biggest deviation from Article 5, the core principle of NATO, which stipulates that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on the entire bloc.

Additionally, a change in the US policy regarding participation in NATO military exercises is also being considered. Trump is evaluating the possibility of prioritizing joint exercises with allied countries that meet the defense spending criteria.

Officials stated that the administration is sending a signal to its European partners: “If they do not fulfill their financial obligations, the US may reduce its military presence in Europe and shift its forces to regions that increase defense spending.”

Trump had previously stated that NATO countries should increase their defense spending to 5% of their GDP instead of 2%.

However, according to NATO’s own data, only 23 out of 32 member states met the defense spending target set for 2024.

Of these, only five (Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Poland, and the US) allocated more than 3% of their GDP to military needs.

Poland was the leader in this indicator, allocating 4.12% of its GDP to defense.

Along with these developments, sources from the Financial Times reported that Trump might adjust his demands, lowering the bar to 3-3.5% of GDP.