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My message here clearly struck a nerve. A few friends from when I was press secretary, domestically and abroad, don’t like what I said. Instead of seeing how Western European nations must change, they just want to attack Trump. The reason it struck a nerve is because they recognize that this time NATO nations are being held to account. They know they’ve come up short for decades and by denying us overflight rights, they’ve gone too far. Americans are fed up, especially with France and Spain. Trump won’t stand for it and they know it. They now fear the consequences of their inaction. The UK, unlike its days under Thatcher or Blair, is wishy-washy. They’ve often been a good allie, but this time they want to sit it out and have it both ways. We can use their bases, but only for limited operations. At least the UK spends real money on defense. France, Spain, and Italy are another story. So too is Canada. None of these four contribute seriously to NATO. They’re laggards, trying to get away with it. Spain and France force our pilots to fly thousands of miles out of the way (I thought they didn’t like carbon footprints) en route to Iran. Eastern Europe is a different story. They spend more on defense and they understand power. They lived under Soviet domination and recognize weakness when they see it. They won’t be weak. Western European governments, especially France, are good at issuing communiques and statements. They enjoy hosting conferences. They love to ponder deeply. Getting them to act is another matter, unless it’s to purchase Russian LNG, which they still do. The world is changing. Out of this war will come a new group of younger nations that understand real power and the importance of strength. The UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Eastern Europe will emerge stronger than ever. Western Europe will continue to fall behind. As for Trump, you don’t have to like him. He often says things none of his predecessors would say. But don’t underestimate the fact that US taxpayers are fed up with nations that don’t pull their weight, and then force our pilots to take risks and longer flights so we can rid the world from the menace that is Iran. Today’s Western European leaders would rather mollify Iran and pay them ransoms (trade) than support the US. Things are different today. We all know it. The UK, France, Spain and Italy (despite its Prime Minister) have earned the consequences that will unfold. They could have and should have supported us. Not as a NATO alliance. But as individual free nations. All we wanted was overflight rights and full access to airfields. They’ve made their choices. Soon, they’ll see the results.

Ok. Here we go Ari, you know better than this. You’ve been inside the room. You understand how alliances actually function, not just how they’re talked about on cable hits. NATO was never meaningfully consulted here. Not brought in as partners. Not treated as allies whose buy-in mattered. Instead, for years they’ve been publicly dressed down, threatened, and told outright that they’re on their own. When the President of the United States repeatedly questions the value of the alliance, floats walking away from Article 5, and even talks about things like taking Greenland, you don’t get trust—you get hedging. So now there’s a major war raging on their own continent, and those countries are being asked to stretch even thinner for an operation they had no role in shaping, led by a president who has made clear he views alliances as transactional at best and disposable at worst. Of course they’re cautious. Of course they’re calculating risk. And yes—of course they’re worried they’ll be left holding the bag when Trump inevitably changes course or loses interest. That’s not freeloading. That’s rational behavior in response to uncertainty we created. You’re right that some European countries have underinvested in defense. That’s been true for years, and many have started correcting it—especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But let’s not pretend this moment exists in a vacuum. Trust is cumulative. And it’s been burned down repeatedly. And the idea that this is about “refusing to help the U.S. rid the world of Iran” ignores the bigger strategic picture. European nations are dealing with an active land war, energy insecurity, domestic political strain, and the very real possibility that U.S. commitments to NATO could evaporate overnight. You don’t expand commitments under those conditions—you consolidate. You know this, Ari. And I think you know why this argument doesn’t hold up. But somewhere along the way, you traded that understanding for applause lines. You’ve sold yourself at the altar of popularity instead of leveling with people about the complexity here. Alliances aren’t maintained by ultimatums and public humiliation. They’re maintained by trust, consultation, and consistency. We’ve offered too little of that lately—and now we’re seeing the result.

Extraordinary statement by Serbian VOA head Lt. Colonel Đuro Jovanić accusing president Aleksandar Vučić and state leaders of "being sceptical" about their earlier reports on plans for a pipeline sabotage, and denying in strong words allegations of involvement to frame Ukraine.

🚨HUGE: Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a law that creates a pathway to sue ICE agents for unlawful detentions and BANS immigration arrests around Illinois courthouses. This is what protecting due process and fighting federal overreach looks like.