Bombshell: Trump Just Blew NATO Apart, Several Members No Longer Have US Protection

On Thursday, former President Donald Trump warned European nations seeking military protection without meeting their financial commitments that they might regret their decision.

Trump has emphasized that NATO nations, originally established after World War II to counter Soviet expansion through collective defense, should not assume they will be shielded from the consequences of their inaction.

“Well, I think it’s common sense, right?” Trump remarked in a video shared on X when asked about whether he would decline to protect NATO members failing to meet their financial obligations.

“If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them. No, I’m not going to defend them. I got into a lot of heat when I said that. They said, 'Oh no, he’s violating NATO,'” Trump stated.

“You know the biggest problem I have with NATO? I really, 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.”

According to Reuters, Trump pointed out that several nations increased their defense budgets during his first term after he pressured them to do so, yet “even now, it’s not enough. They should be paying more.”

Trump, as reported by Time, said, “I view NATO as potentially good, but you’ve got to get, you’ve got to get some good thinking in NATO. It’s very unfair, what’s been happening.”

He added, “Until I came along, we were paying close to 100 percent of NATO. So think of it, we’re paying 100 percent of their military, and they’re screwing us on trade.”

NATO requires its members to allocate 2 percent of their GDP toward defense spending, but Trump has urged an increase to 5 percent, The Hill reported.

A chart from the Associated Press indicated that the U.S. contributes 3.38 percent of its GDP to defense, while Poland spends the most among NATO members at just over 4 percent.

The chart further detailed that the United Kingdom allocates 2.33 percent, Germany 2.12 percent, and France 2.06 percent of their GDP to defense.

Meanwhile, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Belgium, and Luxembourg fall below the 2 percent threshold.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as noted by Reuters, addressed concerns regarding NATO’s stability, stating, “I know some may have concerns about NATO’s future.”

“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 U.S. and his commitment personally to NATO, and it has also made clear the expectation that we in Europe must do more in terms of defense spending.”

Last year, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, head of NATO’s military committee, stressed that Europe must be prepared to defend itself, as documented on NATO’s website.

“Deterrence is the seven-feet-tall bouncer in front of the nightclub that makes you think twice about going in. So if we make sure we are seven feet tall, we’re in a much better position,” he explained.

He emphasized that NATO’s 2 percent spending rule is “a floor… not a ceiling. In reality, it’s more like a basement.”