According to a report in *Rolling Stone*, Donald Trump, while president, privately issued an ultimatum to NATO countries: meet defense spending targets or face the consequences of the U.S. not defending them against Russian aggression. Trump allegedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from NATO if member states failed to increase their military spending to the agreed-upon level of 2% of their GDP.
The report, sourced from former high-ranking officials, describes Trump’s frustration with what he viewed as insufficient contributions from other NATO members. He believed the U.S. was bearing an unfair burden and repeatedly pressured allies to increase their financial commitments. The ultimatum included a stark warning: if a NATO member was attacked by Russia and had not met the spending target, the U.S. would not come to its defense.
These alleged threats reportedly caused considerable alarm within the Trump administration and among NATO allies. Officials feared the destabilizing impact of a U.S. withdrawal and the potential consequences for European security. The *Rolling Stone* report underscores the significant tension Trump’s approach created within the alliance and highlights his unconventional foreign policy tactics. The revelation surfaces amidst renewed debates about NATO’s role in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the importance of maintaining transatlantic unity.
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