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Article 5: Trump reopens debate on NATO's mutual defence pledge
NATO's cardinal principle – that an attack on one member is an attack on all – came under renewed scrutiny on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump once again cast doubt on how it should be understood.
Trump's remarks, made aboard Air Force One on the eve of a NATO summit in The Hague, reignited long-standing fears among European allies that the US may no longer be committed to the principle enshrined in Article 5 of the alliance's founding treaty.
"There's numerous definitions of Article 5," Trump said. "You know that, right? But I'm committed to being their friend."
Asked again on Wednesday about the clause, Trump appeared to strike a softer tone, telling reporters: "We're with them all the way." But the ambiguity left many NATO members unconvinced.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responded quickly, saying he had "no doubt" about the US commitment to the alliance.
"For me, there is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article 5," Rutte told reporters before the start of the summit.
A fragile cornerstone
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed in 1949, states that any armed attack against one or more NATO members will be considered an "attack against all members".
Each country agrees to take "such action as it deems necessary", including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain security in the North Atlantic area, the article adds.
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The clause was designed to deter Soviet aggression in Europe and was never triggered during the Cold War. It was invoked only once, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when NATO supported the US-led intervention in Afghanistan.
The US has historically resisted language that would make the collective response automatic.
"This vague wording leaves room for individual assessment and helps secure consensus among allies," said Olivier Kempf, a senior fellow at the Foundation of the Strategic Research.
"When Trump says there are many interpretations of Article 5, he's technically right. It's a leap of faith. It only works because members trust each other."
Undermining trust
Trump has long criticised NATO, accusing European countries of free riding on US security guarantees. In March, he again questioned whether European allies would defend the US if roles were reversed.
"If the United States was in trouble and we called them. We said, 'We got a problem, France. We got a problem. A couple of others, I won't mention. Do you think they're gonna come and protect us? They're supposed to. I'm not so sure," he said during a campaign rally.
French President Emmanuel Macron hit back at the time, insisting France was a 'loyal and steadfast ally' and had every right to expect reciprocity.
This week, Trump doubled down on demands for increased defence spending. He called the current 2% GDP target insufficient and pushed for a new threshold of 5%, including broader security spending.
"NATO was broke," he said. "Then I said, 'You're going to have to lift it to 4% or 5%, and 5% is better.'"
'A great victory'
Pressure from Trump appeared to pay off at the summit in The Hague as Washington's NATO allies duly agreed to massively hike defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
For Europe's leaders, it was the price to pay to ensure Trump would endorse a final declaration reaffirming NATO members' "ironclad commitment" to mutual defence.
"The Europeans will sign anything, even if their insurance premium just doubled, because the world is more dangerous now," Kempf explained.
"I think we're witnessing the birth of a new NATO, which means a more balanced NATO and a NATO which has more European responsibility," said Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whose country recently joined the alliance due to the increased threat from Russia.
Trump appeared satisfied with the outcome. "This is a great victory for everyone," he said of the new defence spending deal, which he hailed as a "monumental win" for the US.
And while doubts remain over his commitment, his closing remark – "I stand with Article 5" – may offer just enough reassurance to keep NATO's cornerstone intact. For now, the alliance's leap of faith appears to be holding.
