Nato officials biggest fear of a Trump presidency? His Maga fans
Donald Trump may not be back in the White House yet, but his plans for America’s global engagement are taking shape.
In the past week, the president-elect has met the Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Florida to discuss global security. While no detailed readout was provided, it’s likely that they discussed Trump’s approach to ending the war in Ukraine and America’s commitments to the alliance.
Despite Trump’s inconsistent track record with Nato and European allies, he himself isn’t the top concern for European security officials.
The real source of anxiety lies with his supporter base – particularly prominent voices within the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement.
Officials fear that these influential figures could pressure Trump into an isolationist stance or accuse him of pandering to globalists if he adopts a conventional approach to transatlantic relations, which often involves sending American resources abroad.
“Some people in Nato are afraid of their influence and unpredictability,” a senior diplomat at Nato headquarters told i. “They think Trump is completely dependent on Maga.”
Another alliance source described Trump as “like the wind,” saying, “He changes direction all the time, based on whoever was the last person he spoke to.”
These concerns aren’t unfounded. Many high-profile Maga figures have expressed skepticism about US support for Ukraine and broader overseas involvement.
Joe Rogan, host of one of the world’s most popular podcasts, criticised President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles inside Russia.
“There should be some sort of pause for significant actions that could potentially start World War III,” Rogan said. He added harshly about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: “F**k you, man. F**k you people. You people are about to start World War III.”
While Rogan’s views might be dismissed as those of a podcaster and received a sharp backlash from within Ukraine, opinions within Trump’s inner circle carry more weight.
Donald Trump Jr., who has mocked Western support for Ukraine, warned that Zelensky would lose his “allowance” under a second Trump presidency. He also ventured into conspiracy theory territory, tweeting, “The military-industrial complex seems to want to make sure they get World War III going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives.”
These sentiments are echoed by prominent Maga supporters across Washington. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congresswoman from Georgia, voiced the movement’s isolationist leanings: “The American people gave a mandate on Nov 5th against these exact America-last decisions and do NOT want to fund or fight foreign wars… Enough of this. It must stop,” she has said.
Although Greene is often dismissed as a fringe figure, her views hold sway in the House of Representatives, where Trump would need support for any funding he allocates to Ukraine. Diplomatic sources warn that this loyalty to Trump could falter. In a worst-case scenario, they fear Trump might broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, only for it to be derailed by Republican dissenters.
The Maga world’s spectrum of opinions leaves ample room for instability.
For instance, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speculated that Trump’s meeting with Rutte involved a secret peace plan between Russia and Ukraine devised with Elon Musk.
At the same time, Jones has accused Nato of plotting nuclear war and being part of a deep-state conspiracy against Trump. How his followers reconcile these contradictions if Trump collaborates with Nato remains uncertain, but such claims could easily fuel further conspiracy theories.
“The revolution might turn on its own,” a British defense source warned i.
As Trump prepares to re-enter the White House, European officials remain uncertain about his intentions.
While some are cautiously optimistic that his unorthodox approach might pave the way for a peace deal in Ukraine, they are also bracing for an administration influenced by conspiracy theorists.
Trump’s historical reliance on advisers willing to indulge in alternative realities only heightens these concerns.
