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Tim Donner
Tim Donner is senior political analyst at LibertyNation.com.
Few would doubt that, when it was first formed in the aftermath of World War II in 1949, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was a logical and necessary, if not vital, alliance to counter the grave threat posed by expanding Soviet communism. Almost all of Eastern Europe had already been annexed by the Soviets, ultimately forming the Warsaw Pact, and there was no reason to doubt the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics would set its sights on Western Europe. The security of the free world would hinge on the joint strength of nations ravaged by two world wars.
But needless to say, the world has changed in profound ways since then. In 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall signaled that the Soviet grip on Eastern Europe had been broken. In 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved, crumbling under its own weight. And in 1995, the formation of the European Union blended the distinct economies and cultures of its 27 member states into a single fortified bloc, effectively identifying itself not so much as a friend but rather a competitor to the United States.
The founding mission of NATO, to counter the spread of Soviet communism, is no longer relevant. Since one of the world’s two superpowers ceased to exist 35 years ago, the 14 founding members of NATO from Western Europe dedicated to the original mission no longer dominate the alliance; power has shifted eastward as the umbrella has expanded to encompass 16 new countries, mostly those liberated from the Warsaw Pact, over the last three decades.
So, given that the world of 2026 is so vastly different from that of 1949, should the United States continue to pay the lion’s share of the cost to defend Europe?
NATO – Good for Me, But Not for Thee
NATO was formed specifically to defend Europe, not the United States. We are protected by two oceans and the world’s greatest military, as repeatedly demonstrated in one audacious and triumphant raid after another during Trump’s second term. We also pay a steep price to defend ourselves, a reality being driven home in recent days by the president seeking a massive $1.5 trillion increase in the already gigantic defense budget for 2027.
Europe survived Adolf Hitler’s reign of terror because of American intervention, plain and simple. We also protected our NATO allies from Soviet expansion, and they have since lived under our protective umbrella. Despite being just one of 34 members, the United States accounts for about 60 per cent of the total combined defense expenditure of all NATO nations. And yet, supposedly because of Trump’s aggressiveness in Greenland and the fact that he started bombing Iran without their express consent, they refused to step up to the plate on even a limited mission, leading Trump to goad them publicly.
“Look, we went to NATO,” Trump said on Monday. “I didn’t ask very strongly, I just said, ‘Hey, if you want to help, great.’ … No, no, no we will not help,’” Trump said, adding that they had “actually gone out of their way not to help.” He called the alliance a “paper tiger” that “Putin’s not afraid of.” Trump also confirmed that “it all began with – if you want to know the truth – Greenland … We want Greenland … They don’t want to give it to us. And I said, ‘bye-bye.’”
All of this is transpiring while Trump does all the heavy lifting, closing in on a victory that holds greater significance for Europe than for the United States. The distance from Tehran to Paris is 2,600 miles. From Tehran to Washington, DC, is 6,350 miles. One target is within reasonable range for Iran’s advanced weapons; the other is not. One is protected by oceans east and west; the other is easily accessible through multiple corridors connecting Iran to Europe. Which is in greater need of protection?
The problems surrounding the Strait of Hormuz serve almost as a demonstration project for Trump’s oft-stated assertion that our oldest allies in Europe treat their alliance with the United States as a one-way street. Help in a time of need is good for me, but not for thee. Even though the supply of oil that passes through the strait bound for Europe is roughly eight times greater than that heading to the United States (18–20 per cent vs two to three per cent), our European allies have done little to protect their own interests and work to convince Iran to open the strait, relying on the United States to bail them out.
Ari Fleisher, former presidential press secretary and grizzled conservative veteran, minced no words in a compelling post on X:
“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.
“Wars have unintended consequences as nations show their true colors.”
Indeed, it is the eastern countries of NATO, former Soviet bloc nations, and not our longstanding allies in Western Europe that have become our most unflinching allies. Over the last decade, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, and Poland – all behind the old Iron Curtain – have ramped up their defense spending more than any other member states, while Spain, Belgium, Canada, and Italy bring up the rear.
Europe was long given a pass for not fully acknowledging that its continued freedom would not have been possible without the United States. But, as in so many other areas, Trump was singing a very different tune, arguing with force that Europeans must demonstrate more gratitude and bear more of the burden for their own protection. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is apparently a friend of the president, and it would behoove him and his coalition to get on board with Trump before he loses patience and makes good on his implied threat to abandon the organization.
This article was originally published by Liberty Nation News.
