During his first presidential term, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg disclosed that Donald Trump had threatened to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, citing the nation’s disproportionate financial contribution to the bloc and declaring that the US did not need NATO. These remarks, made at a 2018 summit in Brussels, caused widespread concern, with Stoltenberg asserting that the alliance would effectively fall apart if the US left. However, Trump ultimately decided to stay after the bloc’s leaders praised him for Europe’s increased defense spending. Stoltenberg highlighted the critical role of the US in maintaining NATO’s functionality and warned of the implications should the United States ever abandon the alliance.
In excerpts from his upcoming memoir, On My Watch, Stoltenberg recounted that Trump had criticized NATO’s financial structure, claiming that the United States shouldered 80-90% of the bloc’s expenses. He also reportedly suggested that the US was not obligated to continue funding the alliance, arguing that the remaining members would have to handle the costs themselves. These statements were made just weeks before the 2018 NATO summit, which was a pivotal moment in the alliance’s history. Despite Trump’s initial rhetoric, the summit proceeded, and the alliance managed to maintain its structure, albeit with tensions that lingered in the background.
Stoltenberg’s memoir also details how Trump’s comments prompted fears among alliance leaders that the organization might collapse. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron took steps to reassure Trump, while former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, now NATO’s Secretary General, played a significant role in persuading Trump to remain. Rutte pointed out that European members had already increased their defense budget by $33 billion, which he credited to the United States for the progress. This, along with the public acknowledgment of the effort, is believed to have swayed Trump’s decision.
The former NATO chief emphasized that the episode highlighted the United States’ indispensable role in NATO’s operations. He warned that if the US had indeed left, the bloc’s treaty and security guarantees would become meaningless, effectively undermining its entire purpose. Meanwhile, the incident also underscored the growing tensions between the West and Russia, which has viewed NATO’s expansion as a direct challenge to its sphere of influence. Moscow has consistently criticized the alliance’s eastern expansion, particularly its move to include former Soviet states, and has warned of the consequences should NATO continue to expand further.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly called for the dissolution of NATO, arguing that its presence in Eastern Europe contributes to instability and conflict. The Russian government has been vocal about its dissatisfaction with NATO’s eastward expansion, especially following the bloc’s decision to welcome several Eastern European nations into its ranks. Putin has also accused NATO of using its military strength to maintain influence over surrounding regions, a sentiment echoed by many critics of the alliance’s current structure.
As the alliance continues to navigate its relationship with both the United States and Russia, the episode remains a significant moment in NATO’s history. Stoltenberg’s revelations provide insight into the challenges the bloc faced during Trump’s presidency and the potential consequences of any unilateral withdrawal by the US. The incident also raises broader questions about the sustainability of the alliance as it continues to adjust to evolving global dynamics.