Trump warns NATO allies: ‘No payment, no protection’

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again raised doubts about America’s commitment to NATO, stating that member nations failing to meet their defense spending obligations may not receive U.S. military support.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump emphasized that the United States, which plays a pivotal role in NATO’s defense, should not bear the burden alone. “If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them,” he declared, reinforcing his long-standing criticism that some NATO countries rely too heavily on the U.S. military.

His comments come after an NBC News report suggested that Trump is considering a policy where U.S. military aid would be tied to a country’s defense budget contributions. Trump has previously advocated for NATO allies to increase their annual defense spending from the current 2 per cent of GDP target to 5 per cent. Reports indicate that only 23 out of 32 NATO members met last year’s 2 per cent benchmark.

Trump’s stance threatens to undermine NATO’s core principle — Article 5 — which guarantees that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. According to **Read More….**