US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce has rejected reports suggesting that the Trump administration plans to reduce US funding for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Bruce emphasized that the US remains committed to NATO and aims to strengthen the military alliance as a deterrent, not to help fight wars or fund them. She added that NATO was intended to be a collective defense mechanism to prevent bad actors from taking harmful actions.
“That’s from a story that looks at a memo that was leaked, not from an actual plan or suggestion. What I can tell you is that it concerns me when I see the word ‘eliminate.’ I traveled to NATO for that summit with the Secretary of State. Every meeting, every moment, every time we were on camera, and in every bilateral meeting with the Secretary-General, the one message—among several—was that the Secretary of State of the United States reiterated our full commitment to NATO, as did the President of the United , States”, Bruce said.
“Our commitment means that we want to ensure the nations within NATO can deliver on NATO’s mission, which is to serve as a deterrent. NATO is not meant to fund wars or help fight them; it was designed to prevent bad actors from doing bad things, because it would be too costly for them. At this point, we have nations that need to ramp up, share the burden, and increase their defense spending—not because we’re being difficult, but because we are committed to NATO”, she added.
“Reports claiming the US will end funding for NATO couldn’t be further from the truth. Such stories are nothing but ‘fear-mongering,’ which understandably causes concern. There will be ample opportunity to discuss this when President Trump sends his budget proposal to Congress.”
Bruce acknowledged that NATO members are increasing their defense budgets, recognizing the importance of shared commitment. She emphasized, “A story about eliminating funding for NATO is completely false. This is about strengthening NATO and, dare I say, making it great again. But fear-mongering about this issue is counterproductive and understandably upsets people.”
“As with our review of foreign aid, some things will change, but that doesn’t mean we’ve changed our commitment to NATO. It may look different. If other nations are raising their contributions, perhaps the American contribution could decrease, but NATO would remain stronger. That’s the kind of solution families and allies seek—looking out for each other and being honest”, she added.
Bruce’s comments came after reports suggested the Trump administration might reduce nearly 50 percent of the State Department’s funding for the next fiscal year, including cuts to international organizations like the UN, NATO, and peacekeeping operations.
The memo also proposed reducing funding for humanitarian assistance and global health programs by over 50 percent. It remained unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio had endorsed the memo, which was dated April 10. The seriousness of the proposed cuts in Congress was also uncertain.
According to a US official familiar with the department’s review, the White House is expected to send Congress a budget proposal this spring that may align with the memo’s outline to push lawmakers to formalize ongoing reductions.
