Donald Trump stated in an interview with The Telegraph that he is seriously considering the US exit from NATO due to the refusal of European allies to support Washington in the conflict with Iran. The US President referred to the Alliance as a 'paper tiger'.
De jure exit is difficult, de facto — not necessary
De jure, the direct exit of the US from the Alliance is blocked by American legislation: from the end of 2023, the President requires the consent of two-thirds of the Senate to terminate the treaty. However, de facto, Trump does not need a legal exit to paralyze NATO.
By wielding the full power of Commander-in-Chief, he is capable of nullifying the Alliance from within: from withdrawing American contingents from Europe to refusing to use US armed forces in case of activation of Article 5.
Iran as a 'bill' for Europe
The statement on Iran is a classic transactional logic of the new administration. The White House presents Europe with a tough geopolitical bill: the American security umbrella over the EU only works in exchange for Europe's participation in American military actions in the Middle East.
Article 5 as an option, not a guarantee
The architecture of transatlantic security has been translated into a mode of commercial blackmail. Trump openly demonstrates that Article 5 of the NATO Treaty is no longer an automatic guarantee of Europe's survival, but rather an option that is activated only under the condition of complete geopolitical loyalty from Brussels and London towards American interests outside the European continent.
This means a physical break of the basic security strategy for European elites.