European leaders have expressed strong disapproval following comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the NATO alliance and collective defense. During a campaign event, Trump suggested that the United States might not defend member states that fail to meet defense spending targets, prompting criticism from officials across the continent. These remarks have sparked renewed concerns over the stability of the Western security architecture, leading leaders in Germany, Poland, and France to emphasize the importance of European military autonomy and a firm commitment to mutual defense agreements.
- Former President Donald Trump stated he would not protect NATO allies who fall short of the 2% GDP defense spending threshold in the event of an attack.
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that suggesting allies will not defend one another undermines the security of all members and puts soldiers at risk.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the remarks as irresponsible and dangerous, asserting that NATO’s protection promise must remain unconditional.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French officials are calling for increased European defense integration and a “security rebirth” for the continent.
- The comments have accelerated discussions within the European Union regarding the necessity of achieving strategic military independence from the United States.
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About effing time
Europe's appeasement of Trump has only encouraged him to do worse
They should have never let him bully them over his illegal tariffs
American importers are making a windfall gain now that the Supreme Court has ruled the tariffs illegal
But a lot of European countries caved and gave him "deals" to keep him happy
Mertz and others should speak out louder and more often. I applaud him..
It’s about time!! Europe needs to stand up to my country. Any country that treats it badly and abuses its trust/ friendship.
Germany finally
The Grim Reaper is doing such an awful job not taking Donald yet, but he is tracking him already let's see if he deserves the salary he earns.
It must be killing Donny that Mark Carney is quoted so often while he is the butt of jokes so often…
Don't believe they are working together
Guys theres a whistle blower saying that us and israel geo engineered the drought in iran. We know cloud seeding is real tech but if this is confirmed the US stepped to a new level of evil
Europe is rich enough to build everything America has, and Europe has the population to field an army even larger than America’s. What Europe needs is to put aside the differences that have made Europeans hate each other or even fight one another.
I think America is acting against Europe mainly for two reasons: Moscow and Tel Aviv. Moscow wants America out of Europe because it wants to potentially take more land from European nations in the Baltic region, and Tel Aviv wants America all to itself so that Europe is left alone to face Russia.
Israel clearly wants to punish Europe because Europe has culture and history, while the USA is a nation without any history at all.
The best thing Europe must do is build a 4-million-strong army with everything it needs to defend itself from Russia.
Did money from the EU get stolen. President Trump is just saying no more money to steal
What Merz said about the war was probably his biggest accomplishment since he took office. Best thing I saw him say/do since he took office.
pretty sure Poland on their own can easily 1v1 Russia, wtf do we need american troops for
Merz is ok with Iran having nuclear weapon and the ability to deliver it.
Exhibit A of: Israel runs the western world
It was time that Germany found it‘s spine.
High time that people took a stand. Enough is enough.
It's about time y'all started standing up for yourselves. This appeasement route wasn't working.
Took long enough
Great idea, Germany. Pick a fight with the Americans as you gear up for war with Russia. 😂😂😂😊
US troops should leave EU, the vassalhood is harming Europe
Merz told the truth. The US government must be held accountable for its international politics and economic actions that are hurting the world. As an American of German descent, I am ashamed of the international violations and destruction of our allied diplomacy, our Constitutional and Historical Integrity developed over the past 100 years.
This new station just stop inviting the same narrative liberal anti-Trump panelist. You’re not going to learn and resolve any issue if European news stations insist in living in a vacuum tank it’s so predictable you don’t offer your viewers a true debate of ideas.
It's not your war…
Now crying about fuel shortage.
Poor Germans 😢 it was already so expensive there, and now it’s spiraling down the commode.
❤ and biden im afraid…
The main reason Trump is pushing for more military spending by other NATO countries is not security (indeed, his administration would love to hurt Europe and see it implode) but making American arms manufacturers, and by extension his country and himself, richer and richer. The moment arms are bought elsewhere (e.g. South Korea, Sweden, Ukraine etc.) or manufactured at home, the Trumpian push to see Europe or countries like Canada spend more on their militaries rapidly diminishes. It is time to call Trump's bluff and stop purchasing military equipment (and tech in general) from the U.S. – all trade is currently used as a weapon by the Trump administration, so stop trading with them.
The USA stock market is on historic highs.. I don’t know what crisis this Europeans are talking about the USA is doing great …..
Europe needs to start acting like a great power, not a dependent of the US. Appeasement makes sense for countries that have no other option. Europe has options.
Is Rosie an AI ?
US needs military basis everywhere to ensure their global hegemony.
Donal Trump mirrors the weakness and incompetence of Germany, France, Uk. Just to mention some.
Carney in Canada. They are weak leaders and weak leaders make countries weak.
Crustal clear.
Trump is so inkompetent we all remember him saying 24 hours. Maerz was spitting truths
Everyone in the world needs to oppose trump. We wont forget who caved to the monster
Germany has an easy way to fix a good bit of their economic issues, but they're just too idealistic to allow the reality of their downfall to do what's best for their own country.
Time to move on from the US, the sooner, the better.
In Germany they say "better a frightful ending than an fright without ending"
The US is now where Germany was in 1936.
As a European, I applaud Merz for saying what we all think, allthough he was far more diplomatic about it, that I would have been.
We need the money to ourselves!
Putin and Trump are coming for us.
Europe is weak. Isso future is very dar. The US should withdraw all is militares from Germany. There is no aliança. There is US página the bill for security for the past 50+ years.
Just ignore Trump. Nobody would have any effect on him. It happens or not. The EU has to deal with the effects .. thats the only option to follow.
Iraq war was not about WMD. It was about taking out Israel’s adversary. Israel has been gaslighting America and Europe for far too long. How many more lives will you take for Israel’s sake?
If the United States had left NATO after the breakup of the Soviet Union (like they should have in my opinion) Europe would not have to be concerned with what Trump says today.
Biggest load of BS I have heard … no the US is an issue that needs to be mitigated
Trump is not the issue, Trump is a symptom of the issue .. the American's turned there government into a corp-autocratic system where the president has king like powers. Yes the volitility of Trump made the issues with that system painfully apparent … but the next American "king" will have the same powers, so anyone working with them will be 1 emotional outburst from tariffs, threat of military annexation, etc. The American's, the US … that whole situation … is a problem, it needs to be treated with the same risk assessment as we do China … contain, mitigate, try to keep a door option but understand they are no friend at all and haven't been for decades.
And yes Europe is well able to defend its self, Russia is the only credible threat and is an active threat … Russia has failed miserably against Ukraine a nation a fraction of its size and that is with Ukraine being forced to fight with its hands tied behind its back for years. Europe is around 5 times the size of Russia, our economy dwarfs Russia as does our industry and trade. Russia is the only "threat" but its not something we would have any issue defending against with or without the Americans.
America is at best a hostile competitor, its only 1 step away from becoming an enemy … so we need to treat them as such.
As European I say it's more than time to say the obvious and stop courting the ridiculous demented aggressive and criminal guy overseas. He only understand when people stand up to him. As long as you bow to him he only kicks you. Stop the appeasement, paying a blackmail price to a criminal who just wants to play king of the world
Anyway, Germany can use the facilities of US for their own use as it is expanding their army, buying EUROPEAN weapons and stop paying the US freeloader 2 billion euros per year. And then see how US do without their bases in Europe – or if they want to come back, then all Europeans would be able to negotiate a agreement in which the use of US of those bases is linked to authorization of the hosting country if it's not NATO purpose
And stop spending on US weapons, and the trend is away of the shiny overpriced US systems to cheaper and adaptable systems. US is no ally, it's a danger and a threat to Europe+
Trump put 25% Tariffs now europe is begging us and our POTUS Trump for forgiveness
Europeons are not going to change. Look at these comments, people pretending that Iran has won something, that is just wish casting. If the US just walks away now, the people in Iran will tear the mullahs apart within a few years, with the CIA's help. Just start pulling US troops out of Europe. Stop talking about it and do it. If you euro-peons think it is just Trump, you are outside your minds. The amount of hate growing towards euro-peons here in the US is impressive. You guys are totally offbase if you think it is just Trump. You are going to be shocked after Trump leaves office and you get someone if more anti-european. Only then will the light go on above your heads, and it will be too late. You will have the US as an enemy, not an ally in a very short number of years from now. Good luck thinking you can have Putin as your buddy.
Germany if you participate in a political debate then expect a political answer. Leverage and negotiations.
Love 😢Always Rosi xox from Mark you know me in Newfoud land xox