Russia and Putin · First term · № 42
Said he could probably pull the U.S. out of NATO without Congress after reported ultimatum to allies
“I think I probably can, but that's unnecessary.”
- Said
- , News conference after the NATO summit, Brussels
- Subject
- NATO summit, Brussels
- Type
- NATO and allies
- Topic
- Foreign policy
- Era
- First term
What happened
At the NATO summit on July 11 and 12, 2018, Trump criticized allies over defense spending and Germany over a gas pipeline from Russia. NBC News reported, citing The Washington Post and two officials familiar with the discussions, that he prompted an emergency session of leaders by warning that the United States would go it alone or 'do its own thing' unless members immediately raised spending. Asked at his news conference whether he was still threatening to pull the United States out of NATO and could do so without Congress, he said he probably could but that it was unnecessary because members had 'stepped up', and called NATO 'very unified, very strong'. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump never threatened to withdraw, and that the summit declaration 'confirms the goal of 2 percent by 2024. That's all.' Trump met Putin in Helsinki four days later.