Donald Trump is once again threatening to pull the US out of NATO. But you don't need to leave an alliance to make it ineffective. For Europe, the conclusion is unavoidable: we need to stand on our own two feet. Our latest newsletter also looks at why the false hype around small modular reactors deserves serious scrutiny, and our recent content and upcoming events.
Donald Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric on NATO yet again, now openly stating that he is considering pulling the US out. None of this comes out of the blue. The trajectory has been clear for some time, and it is getting worse. From repeated statements questioning Article 5 to his grab for Greenland, it increasingly feels as if he is not testing the limits of NATO but actively looking for a reason to abandon it.
Of course, whether the US leaves NATO or not is in some ways a red herring. You don't need to formally exit an alliance to make it ineffective. A US president can weaken NATO from within, by blocking decisions, reducing commitments, and, crucially, by casting doubt on its core promise. Deterrence rests on credibility. Once that credibility is questioned, the damage is already done.
For Europe, the conclusion is unavoidable: we need to be able to also stand on our own two feet. Not as an act of separation, but as a matter of necessity.
Our office is contributing to this debate, through the proposal for a European Security Council, a new study on the Europeanisation of NATO, our mapping of Europe's growing network of defence partnerships, and our joint work with the Royal United Services Institute on how resilience and sustainability must go hand in hand.
I invite you also to check out our recent Böll EU Brief on the false hype surrounding small modular reactors, published as we mark 15 years since Fukushima and 40 years since Chernobyl.
Read more in our Böll EU 03/2026 Newsletter!
Wishing you a peaceful Easter,
Roderick Kefferpütz