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Do we want the US to financially support NATO?

(133 Posts)
fancythat Sat 28-Mar-26 17:13:58

Trump is threatening to pull out. And I dont blame him.
[I dont think he can expect NATO to help with Iran though, personally].

Do we want the US financial support to NATO?

A yes or no answer will suffice.

Yes.

RosiesMawagain Sat 28-Mar-26 17:20:27

It's an Alliance so I sort of thought the name was the clue.
Trump may think the US is invincible but I still believe united we stand etc etc

petra Sat 28-Mar-26 17:23:44

A one word answer won’t suffice with such a loaded question. All I will say is it’s obvious you don’t understand how NATO operates.
To put it simply, they are there to defend other member countries who are Attacked
Trump attacked Iran.

Smileless2012 Sat 28-Mar-26 17:47:45

Trump threatens to do a lot of things then doesn't fancythat and maybe like you he doesn't understand how NATO works.

fancythat Sat 28-Mar-26 17:49:20

Ooh, a 5th dig in 24 hours.

fancythat Sat 28-Mar-26 17:51:40

I am going to take the comments above as all nos.

So 1 yes and 3 nos so far.

fancythat Sat 28-Mar-26 17:53:15

Mr Trump. Withdraw from NATO.
And I mean that.

We will take what comes.

Casdon Sat 28-Mar-26 17:55:29

No, not if it comes with the strings attached that Trump thinks that the size of the US military gives him the power to demand. He will have no allies soon, which for the sake of American people, is not a good place to be.

Rosie51 Sat 28-Mar-26 18:11:25

Trump is perfectly entitled to think he doesn't need NATO and withdraw. At which point he can get all his military off Greenland and any other NATO sites. His bullyboy tactics aren't working.
The USA has Atlantic and Pacific sides to defend so of course their defence spending is large but only a tiny part of that goes to direct NATO common funding. In March 2025 USA refused to participate in any NATO exercises in Europe, so they've part withdrawn already. The exercise in January of this year is reported to have gone well.
Can anybody trust him to keep his word on anything? The man is obviously displaying some strange behaviours, his opinions and his 'facts' change from day to day. He truly is a case of 'if his lips are moving, he's lying"

Cossy Sat 28-Mar-26 18:18:01

Why don’t you blame him??

If you look at why NATO is funded so heavily by the USA you’ll see right from day one this was partially based on GDP and partially what the then PORUS exactly wanted.

The USA do indeed “prop up”, if you wish to see it this way, NATO, however they make more than a small fortune out of arms dealing as a result.

They also currently, jointly with China, hold the world’s biggest financial deficit, an eye watering $39 trillion, increasing daily.

Cossy Sat 28-Mar-26 18:19:03

fancythat

Mr Trump. Withdraw from NATO.
And I mean that.

We will take what comes.

I absolutely agree! Bring it on Me Trump!

Cossy Sat 28-Mar-26 18:19:12

Mr not Me

Cossy Sat 28-Mar-26 18:21:42

Sorry for typos! Hope you could make some sense of what I was stating, put simply, there’s the door Trump!

Grandmafrench Sat 28-Mar-26 18:40:38

Why would anyone imagine that he even knows what he’s saying now? He’s been allowed to put the whole world in danger and should be removed to a place of safety! His toadying government refuse to see he’s more of a risk than ‘sleepy Joe’ and anything he says should be ignored.

Rosie51 Sat 28-Mar-26 18:41:58

worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/nato-spending-by-country

Makes for some interesting reading. In 2025 USA wasn't the highest contributor by % of GDP coming in at joint 6th place.

Greyduster Sat 28-Mar-26 18:49:14

I believe NATO can survive in some form without the Americans. Overall responsibility does lie with the Americans - SACEUR is always a four start general - at HQ SHAPE in Belgium. However, the command structure for most of the large HQ’s is rotated among Europeans anyway and has been for some time and it works very well - there is a cohesive military community sharing expertise and goodwill. Currently the Commander in Chief is Dutch and the Deputy C in C is British.

The major problem will be money, and inevitably there would also be something of an internecine power struggle with the Americans gone, but with the expertise and the infrastructure in place, it’s not impossible.

I would like to be a fly on the wall at Brunsum or SHAPE now.

Allira Sat 28-Mar-26 20:13:57

Rosie51

Trump is perfectly entitled to think he doesn't need NATO and withdraw. At which point he can get all his military off Greenland and any other NATO sites. His bullyboy tactics aren't working.
The USA has Atlantic and Pacific sides to defend so of course their defence spending is large but only a tiny part of that goes to direct NATO common funding. In March 2025 USA refused to participate in any NATO exercises in Europe, so they've part withdrawn already. The exercise in January of this year is reported to have gone well.
Can anybody trust him to keep his word on anything? The man is obviously displaying some strange behaviours, his opinions and his 'facts' change from day to day. He truly is a case of 'if his lips are moving, he's lying"

When a member of NATO threatens to invade or annex other members then that member should be expelled.

Allira Sat 28-Mar-26 20:22:27

Do we want the US financial support to NATO?

A yes or no answer will suffice.

A yes or no answer cannot suffice. It's not a matter of the US supporting NATO. The question is whether or not the other members need the US to be a member of NATO, whether the US needs the rest of NATO too. If so the US must pay its fair dues as other countries do.

The USA is more than Trump. He'll be gone but not forgotten, a blip in the history books, and let us hope sooner rather than later.

AGAA4 Sat 28-Mar-26 20:31:06

The US spends a huge amount of its defence budget on war veterans. After each war the cost goes higher.
I think NATO will survive without the US. They are the only country which has asked for help from NATO and with a president who doesn't understand what NATO is we would be better off without them.
Is he going to call on Nato each time he attacks another country.

petra Sat 28-Mar-26 20:37:42

Rosie51

worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/nato-spending-by-country

Makes for some interesting reading. In 2025 USA wasn't the highest contributor by % of GDP coming in at joint 6th place.

Good link. But unfortunately the OP has told us that she doesn’t open links.
She is convinced that the us contributes 62% of the whole NATO budget.
I know how ridiculous that sounds but it’s been quoted several times.

Rosie51 Sat 28-Mar-26 20:48:45

When a member of NATO threatens to invade or annex other members then that member should be expelled. I wholeheartedly agree! Trump should have been made to withdraw his threats and apologise for them, or 'invited' to leave.

I've realised I've not answered the OP's question. Well I'm sorry but you don't get an absolute yes or no from me, it's far too nuanced. Yes their contribution is wanted so long as they play by the rules and respect the other members, no if he thinks that by contributing he gets to call 'jump' and the rest just shout 'how high'.

Oreo Sat 28-Mar-26 21:37:51

Yes of course, NATO would be nothing without the financial contribution from the US.

Casdon Sat 28-Mar-26 21:42:28

There is confusion between national defence budgets and contribution to NATO I think. NATO uses common funding for operational running costs, with a 2019 formula cap setting the US contribution to roughly 15%—similar to Germany—with the UK and France contributing around 10% each.

Maremia Sat 28-Mar-26 21:42:28

NATO would be less, but not nothing, without the US.
On the other hand, would we be drawn into so many conflicts without the US?
Is that the silver lining?

Oreo Sat 28-Mar-26 21:46:01

Don’t forget the US allowed itself to be drawn into WW2 and helped out then in Europe.
After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour it could have confined itself to war with Japan.