Julien Berard

PRESS SEC: It’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the last six weeks when it’s the American people who have been funding their defense. President Trump looks forward to having a very frank and candid conversation with Secretary Rutte.

“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” - President Donald J. Trump

BREAKING: Trump administration considering pulling U.S. troops from NATO allies that refused to support the Iran campaign and redeploying them to countries that backed U.S. efforts. Source: WSJ

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Most Europeans have no idea how absolutely furious with Europe America is. This is not just another disagreement. Betrayal is not something you just let slide. And the mouthy responses from Europeans are pouring gas on that fire. They have misjudged the situation gravely & it will have grave consequences for Europe— economically AND militarily.

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.

When this is over, the western part of NATO will never be the same. Spain, England, France and Italy have sold us out, as they too often have a history of doing. Eastern European nations are the heart of NATO. They spend money on defense, know how to fight and love the US. France particularly deserves fault and blame. From supporting China and Russia at the UN to denying Americans overflight rights, they’re doing what they’ve always done - showing weakness, while cutting deals with terrorists. (The reason the US has a Marine Corps and Navy is unlike France, we refused to pay a ransom to the Barbary Pirates. France is always happy to cut a deal.) Wars have unintended consequences as nations show their true colors. NATO will never be the same, and Western European weakness and acquiescence is the cause.

Lose all this to rescue 1 pilot and call it your greatest military success of all time.

Who believes this should be the new NATO? •🇺🇸 United States •🇬🇷 Greece •🇪🇪 Estonia •🇱🇻 Latvia •🇵🇱 Poland •🇱🇹 Lithuania •🇬🇧 United Kingdom •🇯🇵 Japan •🇮🇱 Israel •🇰🇷 South Korea •🇦🇷 Argentina

When this is over, the western part of NATO will never be the same. Spain, England, France and Italy have sold us out, as they too often have a history of doing. Eastern European nations are the heart of NATO. They spend money on defense, know how to fight and love the US. France particularly deserves fault and blame. From supporting China and Russia at the UN to denying Americans overflight rights, they’re doing what they’ve always done - showing weakness, while cutting deals with terrorists. (The reason the US has a Marine Corps and Navy is unlike France, we refused to pay a ransom to the Barbary Pirates. France is always happy to cut a deal.) Wars have unintended consequences as nations show their true colors. NATO will never be the same, and Western European weakness and acquiescence is the cause.

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