Europe was shocked to learn, Wednesday morning, that Donald Trump raised their NATO dues. While EU leaders were busy tapping out fawning congratulations on social media, their staff members were frantically phoning each other in panic. Since U.S. media outlets are all run by liberal Democrats, too terrified to print the truth, we have to rely on Al Jazeera for the few facts available.
No Free Ride for Europe
Europe has been enjoying a free ride on their shared defense benefits at the expense of American taxpayers. Donald Trump isn’t going to put up with that.
They put Mark Rutte in charge of NATO, thinking he might have a chance standing up to the deplorable American. It’s going to be interesting to see how he responds to this one.
On Wednesday, November 12, the leaders of practically every country in Europe posted messages of congratulation to Donald Trump “on a sweeping presidential election victory in the United States.” None of them really meant it.
As the Arabian outlet notes, “few are likely to feel positive about the change of U.S. leadership on security and trade.”
“Trump has been very clear,” Anna Wieslander relates, “that Europeans need to ramp up their defense spending even further.” When he was in office the first time, he demanded they all pay up on their 2 percent of gross domestic product dues. Each and every one of them was way behind. She’s director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council.
Rutte was all set to give in and promise to begin paying his 2 percent, in a few years or so. Trump just said that’s not nearly good enough. They owe us a whole lot of back due payments, now.
The price went up
Forget about 2 percent, Donald Trump notified Europe. At least the NATO nations, which is most of them. After Trump threw a fit the last time, “it has taken them until this year to achieve that.” The promise was made “after Russia invaded Crimea a decade ago.”
They didn’t pay up until after Russia invaded Ukraine. Wieslander admits that “Europeans have long recognized the need to step up on security and defense, but this realization has not been matched by resources or true political will.”
With China, Iran and North Korea teaming up with Russia against Ukraine, it has the whole continent edgy. “The systemic threat that Russia poses to European security makes this shift extremely urgent if American engagement decreases.”
The policy observer points out that “the first thing Europe needs to do now is to take the lead in supporting Ukraine towards victory against Russia.” Trump is using that anxiety as leverage to shake them down for more money.
Trump wants “a three percent of GDP pledge and we can expect him to push this hard.” In January, Catherine Fieschi, a fellow at the European University Institute’s Robert Schuman Centre, Europe is in for a wake up call.
It’s “going to be a swift and brutal transition of power. We’re going to see a dip, some panic, some chaos, some uncertainty. In the end, given the brutality of what’s coming from the Trump White House, we’re going to see more cohesion in Europe than what we’ve seen for the past years.” Trump’s already on record that anyone who’s behind in their dues can forget about any military assistance if they get in a jam.
