NATO’s European members have long thought they would prefer an ailing Joe Biden to an unpredictable Donald Trump. But now they are realizing that — whoever wins the election — America’s priorities are increasingly shifting elsewhere.
While their summit in Washington was overshadowed by speculation about what the US president’s downfall would mean for his party’s chances of defeating Trump in November, behind the scenes there were voices that sharpened attendees’ focus on the future.
At a rally this week, Trump responded to criticism of NATO, signaling he was willing to ignore its central pillar: the collective defense clause. But European officials say they expect he and his Democratic counterparts to focus more on China at Europe’s expense.
