re: Rumors are swirling Trump will announce our exit from NATO tonight

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We're not pulling out of NATO. Trump needs the world to believe we will pull out so they start investing more into it and things get a bit more equitable.

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Trump’s NATO pull out game better be better than Elon Musk’s pull out game.

In reality, it burns you to the core that Trump is no one's puppet.

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Even if we pull out of NATO, it will be more symbolic than anything.

We will still respond if someone attacks Western Europe. We can't afford not to present that threat

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This is probably accurate. Since 1949, the NATO borders have been a bright line that defines where our mutual defense begins and that will probably continue to be the case for a good bit longer, whether formally or informally. Such clarity has been important in relations with countries outside the alliance, because they know precisely where the conflict with NATO forces begins.

It's also important for individual NATO members to bear in mind that joining conflicts outside of NATO borders carries a risk to the alliance if that war then crosses the bright line. It's best to avoid dragging allies into a war that they did not fully support from the outset. Aspirations aside, every member of NATO is still a sovereign country with self-interested people and politicians.

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How do we ensure they don't invoke Article 5 on us though?

If they're attacked, we would respond, NATO or no NATO

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I disagree. If Europe decides to go on a kamikaze mission in the hopes of us jumping in that's dumb. We don't have to go fight Russia if we don't think the reasons for them doing it are appropriate and strategically sound. That's literally the opposite of what this admin has been telling you they stand on. They are focused on acting on the interest of the US. Getting dragged into a war with Russia because Europe is drunk is not on the list of things that benefit the United States.

This is a bad strategy if they want to play that game.

Were still obligated legally if they invoke article 5 or 6 to fight with them regardless of whether we pay, we would just be in violation of our stated financial obligations which Trump has been hammering them over since 2016.

Were in, or were out as far as I’m concerned, but it’s time for a reckoning as to what our geopolitical alliances are going to look like in a globalist EU vs MAGA US world.

And when the chips are down they and Canada do not want what we want as hard as that is to come to terms with.

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Trump will announce our exit from NATO

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That would not be Trump's decision to announce.

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Were still obligated legally if they invoke article 5 or 6 to fight with them regardless of whether we pay

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as a taxpayer, i'm willing to send ONE unmanned drone with a set number of missiles/bombs as the payload. the EU should use it sparingly.

Those Falling Short
1.8% Croatia
1.6% Portugal
1.5% Italy
1.4% Canada
1.3% Spain
1.3% Belgium
1.3.% Luxembourg
1.3% Slovenia

Melania needs to call home and fix that nonsense.

The US spends approximately 3.4% of GDP on its military.

Less than 8% of US forces are in Europe.

If we use deployed troops as a quick-and-dirty proxy for expenditures, the US spends approximately one-quarter of one percent of our GDP on Europe.

That is 1/5 what is spent by Europe's worst performer (Slovenia) and 1/16 what is spent by Europe's best performer (Poland).

The overwhelming majority of American troops are based right here at home, ready to deploy to whatever hotspot needs their attention ... whether that be in Europe, Asia or Africa. If we were to withdraw from NATO, it seems highly-unlikely that our total number troops would be decreased. Their bases would simply be moved home and still be ready to deploy where ever needed.

Interestingly, Japan is the country with the most US military personnel, not any NATO country.