US won't defend NATO allies who don't meet defence spending: Trump

Washington: President Donald Trump has suggested that the US may not defend NATO allies that have not contributed enough to defence spending, casting doubt on a core aspect of the alliance.

"Well, I've said that to them," Trump told reporters on Thursday in the Oval Office when asked about the potential change in approach.

"I said, 'If you're not going to pay, we're not going to defend.' I said that seven years ago, and because of that, they paid hundreds of billions of dollars."

Article 5 of the NATO alliance charter states that an attack on one member is an attack on all. The only time it has been invoked was after the September 11, 2001, attacks on US soil.

When asked if he planned to make this view official US policy, Trump described his stance as a "commonsense approach" and expressed doubts that other NATO member states would come to the US's defence in the event of an attack.

"I think it's common sense. If they don't pay, I'm not going to defend them," Trump said.

Trump voiced doubts about NATO allies' willingness to defend the US in times of crisis. "I know these guys well, they're friends of mine," he said, "but if we called France or others, saying 'We have a problem,' would they really come to protect us? They're supposed to, but I'm not so sure."

Trump described NATO as "potentially good" but "very unfair" when questioned about the US's continued involvement in the alliance.

The comments echo similar remarks Trump made on the campaign trail last year, which became fodder for Democratic attacks.

Matthew Whitaker, Trump's nominee for NATO ambassador, reassured Senators at a confirmation hearing that the US commitment to the alliance would be "ironclad."

Trump has long argued that the US bears a disproportionate burden in defending NATO allies, pushing for them to increase their defence spending.

NATO members are expected to allocate at least 2% of their GDP towards defence spending. However, former President Trump has been a vocal advocate for increasing this target to 5%.

To meet Trump's proposed target, the US would need to substantially boost its defence spending, which currently stands at around 3% of its GDP. This would require significant increases to the Pentagon's budget.

As of last year, 23 out of 32 NATO countries met the 2% defence spending threshold. This development comes amid reports that former President Trump considered changing the US's approach to NATO, favouring members that spend more on defence.

NATO has been under scrutiny due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, sparked by Russia's invasion in 2022. Proponents of the alliance argue that its mutual defence pact is crucial in preventing further Russian aggression against NATO members like Poland. Sweden and Finland officially joined NATO last year.

(inputs from IANS)