The possibility of a US withdrawal from NATO, which former US President Donald Trump has mentioned during his campaign to retake the White House in this November’s presidential election, would give rise to doubts about the future of the alliance itself, political theorist and historian Luuk van Middelaar said in an article published in Spanish newspaper, El Pais.
In his opinion, “many European foreign ministries were on the verge of panic” after Trump’s words about Russia and NATO. The expert said it would be wise to take the former US president’s statements seriously.
Van Middelaar believes that European leaders should urgently prepare for Trump’s potential return to the White House, as in a second term it is likely that Trump “will be better organized, more experienced, and (perhaps) guided by a spirit of revenge.”
The historian also noted that one of the former president’s plans is to “cut off military and economic aid to Ukraine.” “He has also repeatedly stated that during his second term he would withdraw from NATO,” van Middelaar emphasized. “For Europe, this is a matter of existential security; US withdrawal from NATO would call into question the future of the alliance itself.”
The expert pointed to the importance of the upcoming summer elections to the European Parliament, as they will determine who will interact with the next US president.
“European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to run for a second term,” the expert believes. “But she is German, so we know in advance that she hardly has a chance against Trump, who does not respect women and hates Germany,” he added.
Trump has previously expressed dissatisfaction with NATO’s activities and has threatened, should he win the November election, to withdraw the US from NATO if the European allies do not take greater financial responsibility for their own security.
The US presidential election will be held on November 5, 2024. On April 25, 2023, sitting President Joe Biden said he would seek re-election to the nation’s highest office. Trump announced earlier, in November 2022, that he was throwing his hat into the ring in a bid to win back the office from his rival, Biden. Trump is the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for the 2024 presidential election.
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