Russia and Putin · First term · № 30
Did not affirm NATO's Article 5 mutual defense pledge in first speech at NATO headquarters
“23 of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they're supposed to be paying for their defense.”
- Said
- , Dedication of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 and Article 5 memorials, NATO headquarters, Brussels
- Subject
- NATO Article 5
- Type
- NATO and allies
- Topic
- Foreign policy
- Era
- First term
What happened
Speaking on May 25, 2017, at the dedication of a memorial to the only invocation of Article 5, Trump noted that allies had invoked the clause after the September 11 attacks but did not explicitly endorse it. Article 5 treats an attack on one NATO member as an attack on all. CNBC reported that he had been widely expected to back it publicly for the first time and that the omission came as Russia had become more militarily assertive. A senior White House official told NBC News that his participation alone should be seen as an endorsement and that stating it 'would be redundant'. Former U.S. ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder said allied leaders had hoped to hear the words and that their absence 'was a problem'. On June 9, 2017, at a news conference with Romania's president, Trump said: 'I'm committing the United States to article 5.'
Sources
- Remarks at the Dedication Ceremony for the Berlin Wall Memorial and the 9/11 and Article 5 Memorial in Brussels, Belgium
- Trump gave a speech to NATO leaders, but it's what he left out that got their attention
- The President's News Conference With President Klaus Iohannis of Romania
- Trump says U.S. is committed to mutual support of NATO allies