Trump gives a gift to the master of the Kremlin.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate, following the Democrats, criticized President Donald Trump for his statements about the possibility of the country withdrawing from NATO, calling such ideas the "realization of Vladimir Putin's and Xi Jinping's dreams." According to The Guardian, the statement was made by Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who jointly lead the Senate NATO Observer Group.
"NATO supported America when we were attacked, and came to our aid after the September 11 attacks. Their soldiers fought and died alongside our troops in Afghanistan. Any president who considers withdrawing from NATO not only embodies the most cherished dreams of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping but also undermines America's national security interests," Tillis and Shaheen stated.
The day before, a similar position was expressed by former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Senator Chris Coons. In a joint statement referenced by The Guardian, they reminded that "NATO troops fought and died in Afghanistan and Iraq alongside American military forces," and emphasized that the U.S. should not take this sacrifice and the commitments to allies lightly. According to them, despite disagreements within the alliance, "Americans are safer when NATO is strong and united."
The criticism came after Trump stated that he is seriously considering the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from NATO. He explained this by saying that the alliance refused to participate in a joint military operation with Israel against Iran. "NATO has never influenced me. I always knew they were paper tigers," Trump said, adding that allies "were not there" for the U.S., despite Washington's past support.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also suggested a review of the country's participation in the alliance after the war with Iran is over. "If NATO comes down to us defending Europe in the event of an attack, while they refuse us the right to use their bases when we need them, then that's not a very good scheme," he said.
As noted by The Guardian, a U.S. withdrawal from NATO is fraught with serious political obstacles: according to a 2024 law, the president cannot make such a decision without the support of two-thirds of the Senate or a separate act of Congress.
Amid these statements, concerns about the future of the alliance are growing in Europe. As Politico previously reported, citing numerous sources among EU officials, European countries are already discussing expanding security cooperation outside of NATO. One diplomat stated that the alliance is "paralyzed" and unable to even hold meetings, while another EU representative noted that "it is absolutely clear: NATO is already falling apart," adding that Europe urgently needs to strengthen its own defense.
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