Why Trump’s NATO threat is a gift to Putin
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has warned that Donald Trump’s latest comments on NATO could have catastrophic consequences for the security of the United States and its allies. In a recent interview with MSNBC’s Katy Tur, McFaul explained how Trump’s threat to abandon NATO members who do not meet their defense spending obligations would undermine the alliance and embolden Russia’s aggression.
Trump, who is running for a second term in the 2024 presidential election, told a rally in South Carolina on Saturday that he would encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to any NATO country that did not pay enough for defense. He claimed that some NATO members were “delinquent” and that he would not protect them if they were attacked by Russia.
McFaul, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014 under President Barack Obama, said that Trump’s statement was “reckless” and “served only Putin’s interest”. He pointed out that NATO was founded as a collective defense organization to deter Soviet expansionism after World War II, and that it has been the cornerstone of transatlantic security ever since. He also noted that the U.S. benefits from NATO’s mutual defense clause, Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
McFaul argued that Trump’s threat to abandon NATO allies would weaken the alliance and create divisions among its members. He said that this would send a signal to Putin that he could exploit NATO’s vulnerabilities and challenge its credibility. He cited the examples of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, its intervention in Syria in 2015, and its interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election as evidence of Putin’s willingness to test NATO’s resolve.
McFaul also warned that Trump’s threat to NATO would have implications for other regions of the world, such as Asia and the Middle East, where the U.S. has allies and interests. He said that Trump’s isolationist and transactional approach to foreign policy would erode the U.S.’s global leadership and influence, and that it would make the world more dangerous and unstable.
McFaul urged the American voters to reject Trump’s vision of NATO and to support a candidate who would uphold the U.S.’s commitment to the alliance and its values. He said that NATO was not only a military alliance, but also a political and economic one, based on shared principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. He said that NATO was not a burden, but a benefit, for the U.S. and its allies, and that it was essential for preserving peace and prosperity in the 21st century.
