Trump Hints US May Leave NATO Mutual Defense Pact

Politico Europe reports:

On his way to a summit of NATO leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump undermined the alliance’s core collective defense promise — injecting tension into a gathering designed to keep him interested in European security. Asked whether the US remains committed to NATO’s Article 5 clause, Trump told reporters on Air Force One: “Depends on your definition. There are numerous definitions of Article 5. You know that, right? But I’m committed to being their friends.”

“I’m committed to saving lives. I’m committed to life and safety. And I’m going to give you an exact definition when I get there. I just don’t want to do it on the back of an airplane.” On Wednesday, NATO leaders are expected to formally agree to a new defense spending target of 5 percent of gross domestic product — a sharp increase from the current 2 percent benchmark and something that Trump has been demanding for months.

Read the full article. Trump saying “you know that, right?” is one of his long-running tells that he’s lying. Another common version is “as you know.”

Q: Are you still committed to Article 5 of NATO?

TRUMP: It depends on your definition

(That’s a no) pic.twitter.com/CGQu9kfHMV

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 24, 2025

President Donald Trump declined to say if he would commit to NATO’s Article 5, which requires members to defend each other from attack, as he headed to a crucial summit of the military alliance https://t.co/eSr00zGjS0

— Bloomberg (@business) June 24, 2025