A defining point of internal NATO negotiations in recent years has been the US trying to push everyone else to spend more on their militaries, trying to get everyone over a 2% of GDP minimum cap. That may have quieted down recently, but the coronavirus pandemic could start it anew.
With a number of NATO member nations getting absolutely pounded by the coronavirus, shutdowns and emergency economic plans are the priority of the day, not meeting the US-mandated 2%. Pentagon officials have conceded that US military spending could also face pressure from the trillions spent on stimulus.
Which isn’t to say the Trump Administration is liable to be any more understanding when other NATO nations start cutting back spending, and this is probably going to lead to a whole new round of condemnations and threats for the US to cut back its involvement in NATO schemes.
Since even at the best of times the US isn’t happy with NATO spending, there probably won’t be serious resistance to cutting military spending over the virus, with many nations’ voters less and less interested in keeping the US placated.
US-mandated 2%. Exactly. NATO is not an alliance. Its the US Foreign Legion run by and on behalf of Washington.
Maybe if we had a President who wanted to make America greatful instead of “great” we wouldn’t be dying like flies. We either believe in God or we don’t and we just carry on with our killing like he doesn’t even exist. We are the aggressor in this world, we are the threat, we are the ones with nukes spread all over the face of the earth, and we want Gods blessing?