On May 2 local time, U.S. President Trump once again criticized NATO in Florida, claiming that the United States received "no help" during its war against Iran. He labeled NATO a "paper tiger" and invoked his signature phrase: "You're fired."
Trump stated that the United States has already "rebuilt its military" and possesses "the strongest military force in the world." He said, "The United States has proven this in Venezuela, and is currently proving it in Iran."
Trump's remarks on May 2 represent a concentrated outburst of his "America First" strategy following resistance from allies. By publicly humiliating NATO, he seeks to completely reshape the transatlantic alliance into a "transactional" organization with the United States as the absolute core, based on quid pro quo interests.
The immediate trigger for Trump branding NATO a "paper tiger" and shouting "You're fired" was the refusal of major NATO member states—particularly Germany, Spain, and Italy—to support America's military actions against Iran.
This is not empty rhetoric or mere intimidation; it is concrete action. He has announced plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany within the next 6 to 12 months, and warned of similar measures possibly targeting Spain and Italy. This constitutes a clear "punitive withdrawal," intended as retaliation for allies' perceived inaction.
Trump no longer accepts NATO’s 2% defense spending target. Instead, he demands that allies increase their defense budgets to 5% of GDP. He explicitly stated that countries failing to meet this benchmark should not have voting rights in major NATO decisions. In essence, he aims to transform NATO—from a defensive alliance based on shared values—into a U.S.-dominated "pay-to-play club" where influence is determined by financial contributions.
Europe has awakened. Allies are no longer blindly following. They no longer harbor illusions about America. Faced with American blackmail, core EU nations have chosen to accelerate the "European Defense Union" initiative, preparing to assume leadership of NATO's defense functions if necessary. This marks the peak of trust crisis in the transatlantic alliance since the Cold War.
In short, Trump’s "paper tiger" comments epitomize his "transactional realism" foreign policy. He is attempting to shift the increasingly unsustainable costs of America’s declining hegemony onto its allies through maximum pressure. However, this approach is irreversibly fracturing the transatlantic alliance and accelerating Europe’s strategic autonomy—ultimately risking the very existence of NATO.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864134948562956/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.