Donald Trump has never hidden his aversion to NATO, but this is the first time he has been so radical.
During a meeting in South Carolina on Sunday, the former American president criticized the functioning of the alliance, believing once again that the financial contribution of member states was too low compared to that of Washington.
He even implied that in the event of a presidential victory, he would not protect his allies in the event of an attack from Russia, if he considers that the latter have not done enough to help. wallet.
“No, I won’t protect you.
In fact I would encourage them to do whatever they want to you.
You must pay your debts,” insisted the ex-president, provoking the ire of his European allies.
Donald Trump is referring here to the famous article 5 of the Washington Treaty, according to which “an armed attack against a country or several NATO member countries (…) will be considered as an attack directed against all parties”.
In this scenario, each Member State is supposed to assist the attacked country by “taking such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force”.
Read alsoMissile fallen in Poland: what articles 4 and 5 of the NATO treaty say
The United States could therefore effectively decide not to react in the event of an attack by one of its allies.
“It would be a geopolitical thunderclap, because it would throw the United States out of the alliance, but it remains possible,” confirms General Jean-Paul Paloméros, who served at the head of one of the two states. supreme majors of NATO from 2012 to 2015.
But contrary to what Donald Trump suggests, no ally must pay any “debt” to the organization or even to the United States.
Since NATO does not have its own army, its power depends on the national contingents of the member states: the more the latter invest in their national defense, the more they strengthen the alliance.
The 2% directive
However, since 2006, Member States have committed to devoting at least 2% of their GDP to their defense.
But it is an objective more than a real obligation: in 2023, only eleven member countries out of 31 would fulfill it.
And contrary to what Donald Trump implies, “the countries bordering or close to Russia, therefore the most vulnerable to a hypothetical Russian invasion, are all above 2% and are therefore not bad payers”, recalls Lauric Henneton, lecturer at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin.
On NATO funding and Trump's exit, the numbers.
All countries bordering Russia - Finland Poland Baltic States - are above the recommended 2% of GDP.
It hasn't always been the case, but you have to keep your records up to date, Donald.
Who cares that said... pic.twitter.com/oDBc33pbEx
— Lauric Henneton (@lauric_henneton) February 12, 2024
Excluding the United States, spending by member countries has only increased since 2014 and even more so since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. For Lauric Henneton, the Republican candidate's diatribe demonstrates “a form of incompetence”, because Trump has “visibly no idea of how NATO works”.
But its exit could have harmful consequences: “The principle of solidarity is the foundation of the alliance.
However, Trump introduces uncertainty at a time when countries instead need certainty,” adds General Paloméros.