European officials are reportedly working on a contingency blueprint for NATO that would function without the US, after Donald Trump made several remarks suggesting he could withdraw America from the alliance.
In recent weeks, the president was asked by the Telegraph if he had any plans to take US out of the bloc, to which he responded: “Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration… I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”
The US was one of NATO’s 12 original members when the alliance was formed in 1949. Today, NATO includes 32 nations.
America accounts for 15.8 percent of NATO’s annual spending, which makes it a central contributor to the organisation’s capabilities. But amid Trump’s comments about leaving, several European countries are said to be exploring how a restructured framework could work without the US.
The idea has been described as a potential ‘European NATO’, with participating states reportedly discussing how to bolster their own forces and fill gaps that would be left by US military assets, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The aim, as described by those familiar with the talks, is to strengthen Europe’s ability to deter threats from Russia and Vladimir Putin.
People involved in the discussions have also emphasised that the concept is not meant to replace or directly compete with the current NATO structure, but rather to ensure Europe has credible options when facing nuclear-armed powers.
Previously, the Financial Times reported estimates suggesting it could take between five and 10 years of increased European defence spending to reach a point “where they could replace most US competences”.
The same outlet added that some proposals being weighed by NATO members include steps for a managed transition that could last up to a decade.
Discussing the scale of what would be required, a person briefed on the conversations told the Financial Times: “Increasing spending is the only play that we have: burden sharing and shifting the dial away from US reliance.
“We’re starting those talks but it’s such a big task that many are overwhelmed by the scale of it.”
Meanwhile, the US relationship with the alliance has faced additional scrutiny in recent weeks after the president aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the war in Iran.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met Trump in Washington last week for a private meeting.
Rutte told CNN of the meeting: “He clearly told me what he thought of what happened over the last couple of weeks.”
Rutte did not confirm whether Trump made any direct threat to pull the US out of NATO.