For much of the 20th century, the United States’ allies abroad had no reason to think twice about our commitment to NATO. No matter which candidates or parties were ascendant, the world knew that the White House would be steadfast in its support of the alliance and its members.
Then Donald Trump took office.
As regular readers know, the Republican reportedly told his team “several” times that he was prepared to withdraw from the alliance. By all accounts, it was a plan he intended to follow through on in a second term. Since leaving office, the former president has said that he was prepared to ignore the treaty’s Article 5 commitment, and has continued to criticize the alliance and its members.
As recently as a month ago, Fox News asked Trump whether he’d be committed to NATO if given a second term. He replied that it would “depend“ on whether he was satisfied that U.S. allies were “treating us properly.” Two weeks later, the presumptive GOP nominee insisted that NATO allies wouldn’t “be there” for the United States if we were attacked.
But as radical as Trump’s rhetoric has been, he’s still capable of reaching new depths. NBC News reported over the weekend:
Former President Donald Trump said Saturday he would encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” if it attacked a NATO country that didn’t pay enough for defense. … The comments will do little to ease concerns in Europe about U.S. dependability, with military aid that Ukraine desperately needs held up in Congress and the front-runner for the GOP nomination now reiterating his long-standing skepticism of America’s historical commitments to its allies.
In context, the former president, while headlining a rally in South Carolina, reflected on a conversation he claims to have had with the leader of a “big country.” This leader, according to Trump’s version of events, asked whether the United States would honor its NATO obligations in the event of a Russian attack.
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