While as a political party, Labour is instinctively uncomfortable with Donald Trump’s re-election, when it comes to defence there is some sympathy with his attitude towards European defence funding.
One insider said, “put on your incontinence pants, don’t listen to the rest of his politics, it’s none of our business.”
Another source told me, “Trump set a challenge to Europe last time and he was in part right to,” pointing out that after his term in office the number of Nato countries which hit the target of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence did go up.
Twenty-three now meet the 2% target, up from just six countries in 2021.
Rather than worrying about what Trump might do in office, they said, “a precondition for Trump to take European defence seriously is for Europe to take its own defence seriously.”
It’s hard to see how that does not mean more countries on the continent spending more of their own cash.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, Nato does deter Russia, and we have to make sure that happens,” said a defence source.
America’s role in our security is vital. But sources in government acknowledge that Europe, with conflict on its fringes, must play a vigorous financial part.
Eager to be seen as the leader in Nato, the UK is taking steps to boost defence cooperation across the continent – leaders recently signed a “landmark defence agreement” with Germany.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House sets nerves jangling across the Atlantic about what it will mean for Nato, what it will mean for the US committment to support for Ukraine in terms of diplomacy and cold hard cash.
There is instinctive political unease here with his behaviour, his attitude to the law, convention, and the truth. But perhaps in the words of one source “it’s not a rule of law era, it’s a power era”.
Before the Trump victory, there were already profound questions for our politicians about how they protect our interests.
The imperative to answer them is stronger now the unpredictable president is on his way back.
Perhaps the UK and the rest of Europe may need to display and pay for more of its own power to have a chance of getting the Trump White House on board.