"Dedicated to Protecting Lives"...Ambiguous Response
NATO: "Europe, Stop Worrying"
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is taking an ambiguous stance on the implementation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) collective defense agreement.
According to the White House on the 24th (local time), President Trump, while traveling on Air Force One to attend the NATO summit, was asked by reporters whether he would uphold Article 5 of the NATO treaty. He responded, "It depends on how you define Article 5. There are various definitions of Article 5."
He added, "But I am committed to being a friend of NATO," and continued, "I have become friends with several leaders of member countries and am dedicated to helping them."
Article 5 of the NATO treaty stipulates the collective defense obligation, stating that an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all member states, requiring a collective response. President Trump did not clarify his position on this matter. During the last presidential election, he pointed out Europe's free-riding on security and stated that he would consider withdrawing from NATO if member states did not pay their fair share of defense costs. He also sparked controversy by making a bombshell remark that he would encourage Russia to attack allied countries that do not pay their share properly.
When asked to clarify the meaning of his response regarding Article 5, President Trump said, "I am committed to protecting lives and safety." He added, "When I arrive at the NATO summit, I will provide a precise definition. I just don't want to do it from the back of the plane." He also criticized Spain, which did not agree to the goal of raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, saying, "Spain is the problem."
Later, President Trump posted a text message on his social media platform, Truth Social, which appeared to be from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. In the message, Secretary General Rutte said, "It was not easy, but we got everyone to sign on to the 5%. You will achieve what no American president has done in decades. Europe will finally pay its fair share (for defense), and this will be your victory."
Although President Trump showed an ambiguous attitude regarding the implementation of Article 5 on this day, Secretary General Rutte urged people to stop doubting the United States. At the NATO summit public forum held in The Hague, Netherlands, Secretary General Rutte was asked about the reliability of the United States as an ally and responded, "The commitment of the American president and senior leadership to NATO is unwavering."
He also said that he had received countless questions about the implementation of the U.S. commitment to NATO's collective defense Article 5 and the possibility of a sudden withdrawal of U.S. troops. He added, "What I want to say to my European colleagues is, stop worrying." He continued that what Europe needs to do is not to doubt, but to "properly implement (defense) investment plans, build a defense industry base, and maintain a high level of support for Ukraine."
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