The U.S. will significantly reduce military contributions available to assist European allies in a crisis. This will include fighter jets, warships, and mid-air refueling aircraft, German news outlet Spiegel reported on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
The NATO alliance is under unprecedented strain, with some European countries concerned that Washington may withdraw outright. However, they wouldn’t even let our aircraft use our joint bases or fly over their airspace.
President Trump slammed European allies for not spending enough on their militaries. It is true they relied on us to the point that they couldn’t defend themselves. Many of the allies said they can’t defend themselves. They spent the money on their loony ideas.
NATO allies wouldn’t help with Iran, which is their right. However, President Trump indicated that we can’t be there for them 100% if they aren’t for us at all.
He doesn’t see how the alliance is a mutual defense treaty if it’s one-sided.
The Report
According to the Spiegel report, an envoy of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth briefed senior officials from member states on the plan at NATO headquarters in Brussels late last week.
Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters last week that the Trump administration was planning to tell NATO allies it would shrink the pool of military capabilities available to the alliance during a crisis.
The U.S. aims to provide only half as many strategic bombers as before, the reports said.
Specifically, the number of U.S. fighter jets is set to fall by a third, Spiegel cited U.S. envoy Alexander Velez-Green as saying during the closed-door meeting.
The U.S. Navy is also set to make fewer destroyers available to NATO, and the U.S. no longer intends to provide any submarines to the alliance.
Europe will have to provide its own reconnaissance drones.
Details are to come. However, a NATO spokesperson said the allies over-relied on the U.S. That is the truth. The U.K. has one warship that is in for repairs.
We all know the U.S. will be there for them if needed, but they have to contribute more than they are.