After the election of Donald Trump a year ago, many NATO members were concerned about his comments regarding the alliance and his “America first” mantra and that as president, Trump would push to retreat from the defense alliance.
But a year on from that election, NATO member states are expressing a new confidence that Washington — and in particular the Trump administration — is fully committed to the alliance.
This is important especially as the eastern-most members of NATO deal with an upsurge in Russian aggression and military modernization.
“When we talk about security and defense, I am absolutely confident that the United States — also with President Trump — is committed to NATO and to the trans-Atlantic bond,” Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Nov. 17 at the annual Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia last week.
In a discussion with Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and international security analyst Robin Shepherd, Stoltenberg noted that the U.S. had committed more personnel, weapons and equipment to NATO, and has held the most military exercises with the alliance since the Cold War.
“This is not only about words, but also concrete actions,” Stoltenberg said.
Added Sajjan: “What we have seen in action [by the United States] is actually a great commitment” to the alliance.
Information in this article helps satisfy Priority Intelligence Requirement 2: What is the current situation report and risk of war in each of the four flashpoints?
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