The Trump administration is considering abandoning its defense commitments to NATO member states that fail to increase defense spending to the target of 5% of GDP, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reports, citing its own sources.
According to the newspaper, Trump may exclude countries that do not fulfill their financial obligations from the NATO decision-making process. The newspaper also suggests that Washington may deny these countries the opportunity to activate Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty on collective defense, freeze their participation in discussions on expanding the alliance and prevent them from participating in joint exercises. Another option is to withdraw US troops from Germany.
Trump began exploring these options after NATO allies refused to send warships to unblock shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The newspaper added that these proposals have not yet been officially presented to the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. As the publication notes, all decisions in NATO are made by consensus, which increases the likelihood of internal conflicts within the organization if Washington officially presents its own initiatives.
„You shouldn't be able to vote on future spending if you don't pay for it. We need to start a conversation about what the threat is and what the alliance is doing. "We need to send a signal that the actions of Spain and the UK are unacceptable," the source told the publication.
At the organization's summit in The Hague last year, an increase in military spending by NATO member states to 5% of GDP by 2035 was agreed. This spending will include 1.5% for the development of defense infrastructure and military supplies to Ukraine. However, Spain opposed the increase in military spending.
Tensions between Madrid and Washington intensified after the military actions of the United States and Israel against Iran, which Spain initially opposed. After that, the United Kingdom also announced its opposition to the use by the United States of bases located on its territory for the operation against Iran.
Trump's dissatisfaction with the United Kingdom stems from London's initial reluctance to grant permission for the use of British bases for the military operation against Iran. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer eventually authorized the use of British air bases, but stressed that London would not participate in American and Israeli strikes against Iran due to a lack of legal basis.