The Telegraph: Trump considers limiting voting rights of some NATO allies

The Telegraph reported that US President Donald Trump is considering reorganising NATO in order to punish alliance members that fail to meet spending demands.

Source: The Telegraph citing its own sources, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Trump is analysing a "pay-to-play" model that could strip some NATO allies of the right to take part in decision-making. This is said to be one of several ideas he is weighing after allies rejected his demand to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

​​Sources close to the US president said he is also considering withdrawing American troops from Germany. Trump has been thinking about such a move since returning to office.

"The frustration we've had with the Europeans has been very real. Any country that's not paying 5 per cent shouldn't be allowed to vote on future expenditures at NATO," said a source in the administration.

All NATO member states currently spend at least 2% of GDP on defence, the target set in 2014. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said member states will have to draw up plans to meet the next 5% target at the summit in Ankara later this year.

Under proposals reportedly being considered by Trump, NATO allies that fail to meet the new target could lose voting rights on decisions involving enlargement, joint missions and the application of Article 5 on collective defence.

"You shouldn't be able to vote to spend future money if you're not paying," a US source added.

"We need to start the conversation about what is a threat and what does the alliance do. We have to send the message that what Spain and the UK did is unacceptable," said the same source, referring to the position of the two European countries on the war in Iran.

Three NATO officials told The Telegraph that US representatives had not formally put these plans forward at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. But one source said US officials had pushed the "pay-to-play" model in several discussion forums.

NATO decisions require consensus, and allies are likely to block any attempt to change the process, potentially setting up another clash with Trump.

Background:

• Trump also suggested on 27 March that the US could walk away from its promise to defend NATO allies if they came under attack.
• He also called NATO a "paper tiger" and said the US would remember the allies' "inaction" in the war against Iran.

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