Blair ‘not worried’ about potential U.S. withdrawal from NATO under Trump

Defence Minister Bill Blair says he’s “not worried” about the United States’ continued commitment to NATO and other international alliances, including NORAD, amid recent comments from Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump.

In an interview with Mercedes Stephenson from the Munich Security Conference that aired Sunday on The West Block, Blair said he’s “confident” not just that NATO will remain strong, but that Trump would change his tune on potentially withdrawing the U.S. from NATO if he were to see the alliance at work today.

“I’m actually confident that if former president Trump had an opportunity to see the unity of purpose, the strength and resolve of the NATO alliance to significantly increase their defense spending … I think he would have a greater appreciation of the value of NATO,” the minister said.

“I’m confident in NATO’s commitment, and I’m also confident that the United States continues to be supportive of that commitment.”

Trump has begun repeatedly suggesting the U.S. wouldn’t defend NATO members that don’t meet the alliance’s non-binding pledge to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence — a club that includes Canada, which currently spends 1.38 per cent. Trump has falsely equated the pledge with membership dues and complains other members are leeching off the U.S. military.

Some of Trump’s current advisers have floated the idea of a “two-tiered” approach to NATO, where the U.S. would still offer protections to countries that meet the two-per cent spending target if attacked by a foreign power — under the alliance’s Article 5 — and not defend members that don’t spend enough.

Blair wouldn’t commit that Canada will one day meet that two per cent threshold, but did say more investments in defence