Donald Trump is reportedly considering advocating a controversial “pay-to-play” overhaul of NATO in which countries that fail to meet defense spending targets could be barred from key votes, including if the bloc goes to war. The US President is said to be considering proposals that would fundamentally reshape the way the 32-nation alliance operates, and link impact directly to financial contributions.
Under the proposal, NATO members that do not meet the 5% defense spending target could be excluded from making major military and strategic decisions. It is one of several plans Mr Trump is reportedly considering after allies rejected his demand to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, including a plan that could see US troops removed from Germany.
Under existing rules, NATO members spend at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense, following Mr Trump’s demand to double military funding in 2018. Mark Rutte, the coalition’s secretary general, said leaders would have to come up with a plan to reach the new 5% target at a summit in Ankara, Turkey, later this year.
“Our disappointment with the European people is very real,” an administration source said. Wire. “Any country that is not paying 5% should not be allowed to vote on future spending in NATO.”
If Mr Trump’s proposal becomes reality, NATO allies that fail to meet the new target could be left out of decisions on expansion, joint missions and triggering the Article 5 mutual defense clause.
One US source said, “If you’re not paying you shouldn’t be able to vote on how money is spent in the future.” “We need to start a conversation about what the threat is and what the alliance does. We need to send the message that what Spain and Britain did is unacceptable.”
Three NATO officials told The Telegraph that US envoys had not formally presented the plans to the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. However, a source admitted that they were pushing a “pay-to-play” model on several discussion forums.
The change would also require the consent of other NATO members, but the allies are likely to block any changes to the process, risking further confrontation with Mr Trump.
This comes after the US President ordered thousands of troops to be sent to the Middle East after NATO countries refused to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz. Mr Trump had previously threatened to pull the US out of the alliance altogether amid frustration over Britain’s lack of support for conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.
Sources close to the president said Mr Trump’s relationship with Sir Keir Starmer deteriorated after he blocked the US from using Diego Garcia, a military base in the Chagos Islands: “The American people are shocked at how untrustworthy the British government is. The US Department of Defense is frustrated that they cannot properly partner with a country that is supposed to be our greatest ally.”
