THE TRUE CONSERVATIVE POSITION: Europe is an extremely important trading partner and a strong supporter of liberal democratic values and the international rule of law. We need to maintain and enhance our economic, military, and diplomatic relationships with the Europeans to protect our interests, particularly in the face of an increasingly aggressive China and a revisionist Russia.
THE GOP POSITION: Ditto.
TRUMP’S POSITION: The Europeans take advantage of the money we spend on their defense and rip us off. They’re just as bad as the Chinese! NATO should be run more as a protection racket, and the EU should be broken up. Brexit is a good start.
CONCLUSION: Once again, the question is whether Trump can flip his party on this issue. In this case, probably not, but as long as he remains president, NATO is in danger.