December 12, 2016
We need to talk about NATO
Dear NATO and European ministers of defense,
I know you’re worried. You’re worried that the United States is about to have a commander in chief who has called the NATO alliance “obsolete.” You’re worried by Donald Trump’s campaign promise to defend NATO allies only if they meet their “obligations.” If you’re not spending the recommend 2 percent of GDP on defense, in other words, America’s next president may not meet our Article 5 commitments to defend you. And you’re worried about what Trump’s ever -amous “America First” slogan will mean in practice.
Don’t panic. Instead, use the coming weeks to put together a plan, both individually and collectively. That plan should have three core objectives: lay out the facts, get your house in order, and prepare for 2017’s NATO Summit in Brussels.
Read the full article at Politico.
More from CNAS
-
Trump's Trade Talks and Europe with Liz Economy and Mikko Huotari
Podcast
President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping on October 30, 2025, ended with a temporary truce between the two leaders. While thi...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
Mike McFaul on Autocrats vs Democrats
Podcast
Are we in a new Cold War? That is the question Mike McFaul takes on in his new book, Autocrats versus Democrats: Russia, China, America, and the New Global Disorder. McFaul ar...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
A New Era of Strongman Rulers Is Upon Us
Commentary
The consequences of strongman rule also seep into the fabric of economies and everyday life....
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor
-
Did Europe Change Trump's Mind on Ukraine?
Podcast
The Trump administration made a major move this week in its announcement of sanctions on major Russian oil companies Rosneft and Luke Oil, along with 31 subsidiaries. This fol...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
