One of Donald Trump’s key campaign allies has warned Nato countries that there will be “a consequence” for them if they do not contribute more towards the alliance.

The comments by Carl Paladino, who ran the president-elect’s campaign in New York state, came as Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former Nato secretary general, said that if the US pulled back from protecting Europe then Russia would certainly take advantage.

“If the United States were to withdraw from Europe then, without any doubt, Russia would advance and exercise more assertive behaviour in the east,” Rasmussen told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “That would weaken European security.”

Trump’s sometimes dismissive attitude during the election towards Nato has prompted alarm in Europe. Also speaking on Today, Paladino argued that people should not believe everything Trump said on the campaign trail, but stressed the president-elect was serious about changing Nato.

Asked what would happen if European Nato nations did not contribute more to the alliance’s budget, Paladino said: “I don’t think what happens has been clearly defined.”

He continued: “I think you describe correctly the offence which is, if you don’t pick up your part, as was agreed to many years ago, then there’s going to be a consequence.

“We don’t know what that consequence will be, but I think most Americans are in favour of that. They think everybody should pay their fair share. There’s no reason why the United States of America has to put up with the nonsense of caring for the defence and the security of a country that doesn’t pick up its fair share.”

Asked if this meant a reduction in Nato’s status or role, Paladino said: “I don’t think we’re changing the status of Nato, we’re enforcing the agreement as it was originally drawn out. Enforcing the agreement is the intent.

“It’s not to scare people. But they should, just as the United States has accommodation for its defence budget, these other countries are going to have to start making accommodation themselves. In other words, times are changing.”

Paladino – who at one point in the interview appeared to accuse Barack Obama of deliberately not intervening to help Syrians in their own country so as to “build the voting base of the Democratic party for the future by bringing in refugees” – said Trump should be judged by his actions after the election.

“He’s my friend and I’ll tell you – the guy on the campaign trail is not the guy you’ve seen in the past five or six days. It’s not the guy who’s going to be running this country,” he said.

“The guy who’s going to be running the country has an even temperament. He’s going to keep his promises, he’s going to readjust a lot of things that are out of sync in the world, and he’s going to show America can lead the world.”

Rasmussen, the former Danish prime minister who led Nato from 2009 to 2014, said there were worries about Trump’s comments.

“If Mr Trump were to carry out his campaign statement then it would definitely weaken Nato,” Rasmussen said.

“But, as you indicated, he has actually made some more pragmatic statements after his election. In order to ensure clarity, a Nato summit should be called very soon, to send a very clear signal to friends and foes alike that America’s commitment to defending all allies is unchanged.”



On European nations paying more, Rasmussen said the Nato summit two years ago committed all members to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defence, something that was being worked towards.

“In that respect I actually agree with not only Mr Trump but most Americans that the Europeans should pay more,” he said.

At the weekend, Nato’s current secretary general warned Trump: “Going it alone is not an option, either for Europe or for the United States.”

Writing in the Observer, Jens Stoltenberg said the west faces its greatest security challenge in a generation.