With Trump in power, NATO cooperation can be put under pressure.
There is a risk that the presidential candidate will challenge one of the pillars of the alliance.
– Trump may question NATO’s article number five, says Björn Ottosson, security policy researcher at FOI.
The general security situation in the world has deteriorated significantly in recent years.
In Europe with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. At the same time that China is challenging the US in more and more areas.
During the ongoing NATO summit, the question of how to act against China and the Indo-Pacific region will become important. American security strategies show that China is by far the most serious threat going forward.
– The US will want to put pressure on Europe to do something, but exactly what is unclear, says Björn Ottosson, security policy researcher at FOI.
This can be a problem as the 32 member states have different national interests. Where Europe wants to focus more on its immediate area.
– States on the eastern flank have Russia as their top priority, but the Mediterranean countries look more south, says Björn Ottosson.
Trump takes out the whip
The upcoming US presidential election adds further complexity to NATO cooperation.
Both presidential candidates want Europe to invest more money and take greater responsibility for its security. But the way they present it is completely different, says Björn Ottosson.
– Biden has highlighted that the US’s alliances are important for the country’s strength, while Trump has expressed more that they are a burden and that it costs more than what it tastes like.
Björn Ottosson also sees a risk that Donald Trump may question NATO’s article number five – which forms the core of NATO’s collective defense and states that “an attack against one member state is an attack against all”.
– Trump may bring out the whip and question NATO’s article number five and the importance of the alliance.