Breaking with long-held norms within the NATO alliance, President Donald Trump has reportedly issued a bizarre political loyalty test to European allies that they never saw coming.
Bloomberg News broke the story on Thursday, describing a questionnaire the Trump administration sent out to longtime partners. The survey reportedly tests their support for Trump’s foreign policy objectives.
It comes after the president launched an unapproved and deadly war on Iran on Feb. 28 without consulting NATO allies. When his unpopular war quickly devolved into a quagmire, he begged Europe for help and support, and several nations, including Spain, refused.
It also follows his clandestine operation in Venezuela in January, where he captured dictator Nicolas Maduro. Many European allies viewed the mission as a violation of international law, according to Raw Story.
The questionnaire reportedly asks each country whether it publicly supports Trump’s foreign policy initiatives.
The administration also wants to know whether any ally barred the U.S. from using military bases during the Iran and Venezuelan operations.
The survey also asks whether allies recommend American companies for defense contracts.
Social media descended into an outraged frenzy, accusing Trump and his Defense Chief Pete Hegseth of attempts at dismantling the longtime military alliance and jeopardizing U.S. security.
“They all need to ask Trump to go to hell. If Trump pulls support or troops and military aid from NATO, it will be Trump’s ending as president.”
Another demanded, “Tell him to stuff it. Anyway, it doesn’t matter what they answer. He won’t consult them. He won’t inform them. Whatever they do will never be enough. He will always criticize and blame them regardless.”
The hits kept coming as posters bashed Trump and his cronies over their shortsightedness and apparent disregard for Americans’ standing in the world.
“THIS IS NOT NORMAL, THIS IS F-CKING INSANE. WE ARE NOT CHILDREN IN A PLAYGROUND BUYING OFF THE SCHOOL BULLY,” another reader screamed.
When Trump, with help from Israel, attacked Tehran, they didn’t bother to include NATO allies in their plans.
They also had no clear objectives, strategy, or endgame. Apparently, they didn’t anticipate the Islamic Republic’s next move: blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy shipping channel.
Gas prices quickly shot up and are still $1.00 a gallon higher in the U.S. than they were before the war.
Trump has shockingly and repeatedly downplayed the war’s financial impact on Americans, according to CNN. He also said on Friday that he would “never apologize” for it.
After repeated failures to end the conflict and vows to end it quickly, Trump now says he plans to annex the Strait as a U.S. territory, CNN reported.
As for the NATO alliance, tensions between Trump and European allies remain high over the military campaign.
The New Arab reported that despite the tensions, NATO has worked to “project a picture of unity” by caving to Trump’s demands for higher European defense spending to maintain an alliance that has guaranteed European security since World War II.
