A recent survey indicates a significant portion of German citizens harbor doubts regarding the reliability of U.S. military support for European NATO allies in the event of a Russian attack. The poll, conducted by Forsa Institute on behalf of “Stern” magazine, reveals that 45% of respondents question whether the United States, under a potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency, would uphold its NATO treaty obligations.
Conversely, 41% expressed confidence in the continued U.S. commitment to the alliance, while 14% offered no opinion. The survey findings come after President Trump affirmed his support for the treaty at a recent NATO summit, following commitments from member states to increase defense spending to 5% of Gross Domestic Product by 2035.
Skepticism regarding U.S. reliability is notably higher among supporters of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), with 52% expressing doubt and even more prevalent amongst supporters of the Left party, where 60% share these concerns. Conversely, a majority (50%) of supporters of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and 54% of supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) voiced their trust in U.S. alliance loyalty.
The survey also highlighted a regional divergence. In western Germany, 42% believe the U.S. would fulfill its obligations even under a Trump presidency, compared to just 29% in eastern Germany.
The data was collected through telephone interviews conducted by the Forsa Institute between June 26th and 27th, encompassing a sample size of 1,001 participants.