President Donald Trump on Thursday said Europeans nations that want protection without paying their share might find out to their cost that they made a bad choice.
Trump has said nations of NATO, founded after World War II to contain the expansion of the then-Soviet Union by providing mutual defense for its members, should not expect to be rescued from their folly.
“Well, I think it’s common sense, right?” Trump said in a video posted to X after being asked about whether he would make it a policy not to protect NATO members that do not pay their fair share.
“If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them. No, I’m not going to defend them. I got into a lot of heat when I said that. They said, ‘Oh no, he’s violating NATO,’” Trump said.
🚨BREAKING: Trump announces The United States WILL NOT defend any countries who are not paying NATO dues. pic.twitter.com/cMWrh54sJp
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) March 7, 2025
“You know the biggest problem I have with NATO? I really, I mean, I know the guys very well. They’re friends of mine. But if the United States was in trouble, and we called them,