The posture of Donald Trump in relation to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European countries has generated growing geopolitical tension.
According to the expert Sandro Teixeira Moocaprofessor of Military Sciences at the Army Command and General Staff College (Eceme), Trump is making it clear to Europe that American protection has a price: alignment with the strategic agenda of the United States.
In an interview with WW this Wednesday (24), Moita highlighted that the issue is not exactly new. “At various times he recalled that several commitments that the Europeans were implementing had been made with ‘Trump 45’ [como 45º presidente dos EUA]from 2017”, highlighted the professor.
For Moita, his vision is clear: European allies are not treated as partnersbut rather as states that must be pressured to the maximum to follow the American will. “They are almost vassals the will of Trump and his group in power”, said the expert.
This logic, according to him, becomes even more evident when observing the profile of the figures that make up the Pentagon elitelike Pete Hegsetho general Anthony Tata, e Elbridge Colbythe latter described as completely in favor of the pivot to the Pacific and the containment of China.
Crisis in military command
Moita also drew attention to an ongoing crisis in the American army: the request for passage to reserve do general Christopher Donahuecurrent Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
According to the expert, Donahue is a figure of great respectabilitywith a long career in special operations, present in practically all major American conflicts since the Gulf War.
“He’s one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine that exist today within the Pentagon”, said Moita, highlighting that the general’s forced departure highlights the priorities of the current American government.
Another episode that illustrates American pressure on Europeans involved Italy. Moita recalled that he publicly revealed that Italy supported more than 500 flights by American aircraft from Italian bases during operations against Iran.
The statement generated immediate political repercussions in the European country, with requests from the Italian opposition for the government to explain the nature of these flights. This is because the Italian Prime Minister had previously stated that the flights were only logistical and technical supportand not attack flights. “With this revelation, it gets much worse,” said the expert.
European strategic autonomy
Moita noted that, although Europeans have been discussing strategic autonomy since 2017, the concrete execution of these initiatives has not advanced at the necessary speed, neither to meet American demands nor to theiradequately supply one’s own. This vacuum, according to him, is precisely the space that Trump takes advantage of to pressure his allies.
The expert also cited statements made by Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, in which he mentioned the so-called “Trump’s trillion”: US$1.2 trillion spent by Europeans on defense since Trump’s first termwith US$300 billion of this total invested in the American military industrial complex since the beginning of the current term.
