
<p>Candidates run on what we call “campaign narratives” &#8212; which is a euphemism for bullsh*t. ; They all do it – some more than others. ; It is their sales pitch.</p>



<p>One of the narratives being advanced by Team Biden and the Democrats is that if reelected President Trump will not only pull the United States out of NATO, but that he will destroy the Alliance as a favor to Russian madman Vladimir Putin. ; Yes, it is ridiculous, but that is how campaign narratives tend to be. ; They are not advanced to inform. ; They are supposed to scare the hell out of us –- and win voters over.</p>



<p>Trump has never said that he would pull the United States out of NATO – although he has suggested it as a pressure point to get member nations to meet their financial obligations. He could not withdraw from NATO, even if he wanted to do so – and that is not his plan. NATO is an alliance approved by Congress. Presidents cannot undo that on their own. Trump knows that. The NATO allies know that. Even Biden and the Democrats know that.</p>



<p>Trump is not a threat to NATO. That is not my opinion. It is the stated opinion of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. And he has stated it repeatedly over the years. I even quoted him in a previous commentary. He said it again following the recent NATO meeting.</p>



<p>Appearing on CNN, Stoltenberg rejected the claim that Trump wants to destroy NATO. ; He said that Trump’s ONLY issue with the Alliance was the failure of the majority of members in meeting their financial obligations – instead of leaving the United States to pick up most of the tab.</p>



<p>Past presidents have also leveled the same complaint. ; The difference with Trump was his success in getting members to increase their contributions during his presidency. ; That – and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine – have resulted in most NATO members now in compliance.</p>



<p>Yes &#8230; Trump’s language was bellicose and threatening in his inimitable style (not always appropriate or necessary, in my judgment) but it got the job done in this case.</p>



<p>Trump said that the United States may not come to the aid of nations not meeting their financial obligation. Trump saw them as wanting the protection of Article 5 without paying for it. Stoltenberg saw Trump’s threat as just more rhetoric to get members to pay more – and that is a good thing. </p>



<p>Despite the rhetoric, Stoltenberg historically agreed with Trump’s assessment that members needed to do more. ; He never saw it as a danger to NATO but as a benefit – and so sayeth he. ; He said now that most members are meeting their financial commitments, Trump has less reason to mount the pressure.</p>



<p>And let us apply a little logic. ; Does a person who wants to weaken or destroy NATO work so hard to make it stronger? ; Which is exactly what the increased funding did.</p>



<p>Now I understand that some of the leaders in NATO did not like being called out as deadbeats in such a harsh and public manner. ; They prefer the traditional diplomacy of previous American presidents who they could so easily ignore. ; Trump operated like one of those telephone credit collectors.</p>



<p>During his presidency, Trump approved the addition of a new NATO member. ; It was a small nation &#8212; Montenegro &#8212; but one with a certain strategic importance. ; The approval pissed off Putin. ; ; Just as the addition of Finland and Sweden pissed off Putin – and Trump expressed support for adding those nations.</p>



<p>While those advancing the Trump-will-destroy-NATO campaign narrative, nothing he has done demonstrates that.</p>



<p>In his CNN interview, Stoltenberg was very clear on that subject. ; He did not see the election of Trump as a danger to NATO. ; I tend to believe his observations over a campaign narrative coming from the Biden camp.</p>



<p>Stoltenberg will soon be replaced by the Netherlands&#8217;s former prime minister Mark Rutte, who has had a close friendship (his description) with Trump since his days in the White House.</p>



<p>Like so many campaign narratives, this one will fade away under a Trump presidency. ; The United States will remain in NATO &#8212; and Putin will continue to be pissed off.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Trump and NATO … fact and fiction
