Trump wants to put NATO to ‘the ultimate test’ as he suggests forcing them to come to US to protect country’s borders

Donald Trump has threatened to invoke article 5 and force NATO allies to come to the states and help deal with immigrants at the southern border. He wants to put NATO to the test despite border control not being what article 5 was made for and European allies already passing the test the last time the article was invoked.

Trump has been highly critical of NATO, especially with tensions rising over Greenland. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, the president suggested that NATO allies would fail to be there for the U.S. “if we ever needed them.” He also stated that the U.S. has “never needed them.”

He went on to claim that America would be there for European allies but suggested they wouldn’t return the favor, even going as far as to suggest that NATO allies “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan.

Donald Trump suggests invoking article 5

Afterwards, the president took to Truth Social, the usual place where he goes to make wild statements and unhinged rants. In his post he suggested, “Maybe we should have put NATO to the test: Invoked article 5, and forced NATO to come here.” He claims ally forces could be used to control the southern border, “freeing up large numbers of Border Patrol Agents for other tasks.”

The post was shared to X by the White House but it seems nobody is agreeing with the president’s words.

First of all, that’s not what article 5 was designed for. According to nato.int, article 5 recognizes a nation’s “right for individual or or collective self-defense” when under attack from another nation. A country can call upon the help of NATO allies with the use of article 5, however, it’s specified that it must be an “armed attack,” i.e. an invasion, or a military strike, (among other things).

What Trump is suggesting does not qualify as a valid use of article 5, border patrol is not something that should be the concern of NATO, that’s up to Trump and his government to sort out themselves, as one person on X wrote, “Donald, NATO isn’t your personal Home Association (HOA).”

What’s even more insulting is Donald’s suggestion that NATO allies have done anything for the U.S. For those who are unaware, article 5 has only ever been invoked once in the history or the alliance was formed, guess who invoked it? That’s right, it was the U.S. after the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. All allied nations joined America in Afghanistan and proved that they would indeed be there if the U.S. ever called. They’ve already passed Trump’s test.