1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: And you do what I just said, fund Ice and 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: border Patrol with the deal we've had, then you've got 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: DHS in a good shape. Here's what I want. The 4 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: American people know it's dangerous as the world is. The 5 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: Democratic Party will not give money to the Border Patrol 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: at a time of great danger in peril. Ice can 7 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: be reformed, but they want to put it out of business. 8 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: This is insane. 9 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 2: You're listening to the forty seven Morning Update with Ben ferguson. 10 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: Good Saturday morning. Nice to have you with us on 11 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: the forty seven Morning Update. And we've got one big 12 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: story for you. Donald Trump threatening to get America out 13 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: of NATO unless other members step up and pay their 14 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: fair share. So what caused all this? We explain it 15 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: to you. It's the forty seven Morning Update and it 16 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: starts right now. 17 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: Story number one. 18 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: All right, So let's deal with the elephant in the 19 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,919 Speaker 1: room and this really growing conversation right now about President 20 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: Trump just straight up saying what so many Americans are thinking, 21 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: and that is that well, NATO and our quote unquote 22 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: allies are like pretty much worthless. They don't do much 23 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: for us, right like they have hung us out to dry. 24 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: So is there a way, as the President described it, 25 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: to punish NATO allies, And if you understand history, it's 26 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 1: not hard to see why. Now if you go back 27 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: and look at the data, the United States has carried 28 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: the overwhelming burden of NATO, not just in money, but 29 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: also in manpower, in leading it, with strategy, with other 30 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: bad actors in the world, and just overall leadership. NATO 31 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: was in theory created as a collective defense alliance. That's 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: not what it really is though, all right. The reality 33 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: is that America has been acting as the only defender, 34 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: the primary defender, if you want to call it, that 35 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: of Europe while many of the quote unquote and I 36 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: call them quote unquote allies because they don't act like it, 37 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: have failed to live up to their commitments for decades 38 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: and they knew that America would keep footing the bill. 39 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: Let's just start with the basics, Okay. NATO countries agreed 40 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: to spend two percent of their GDP on defense. Now, 41 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: that was not a suggestion. I want you to understand. 42 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 1: That was the actual promise, like the guarantee, and for 43 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: many years, many of these countries haven't done that at all. 44 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: Instead of investing in their own security. They just decided 45 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: we'll rely on America to not only pick up the tab, 46 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: but to come save our aas's if we ever need them. Now, 47 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: that's when it gets even more frustrating for me, because 48 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: some of the same countries that are literally purposely underfunding 49 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: their own militaries, they're actually spending heavy on domestic programs. 50 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: Why are they doing that because they expect you and 51 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: I as taxpayers to guarantee their protection. Now, President Trump 52 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: has been signing the alarm on this four years. We were 53 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: talking about this in fifteen and sixteen, and even before 54 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: that when he was in the private sector that America 55 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: has taken advantage of. And his position now is actually 56 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 1: pretty simple. If you want America to protect you, then 57 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: you need to start paying your fair share. And it's 58 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: not even about just the money. It's also about loyalty 59 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: and priorities. The White House Press Secretary had this to 60 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: say when she was asked about it from the briefing room. 61 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 3: John John, thanks a lot, Caroline. 62 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: Two questions for you. 63 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 3: One has to do with the statement, a joint statement 64 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 3: put out this morning by some of America's European allies, 65 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 3: our NATO allies, and in that joint statement they said 66 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 3: regarding the Strait of Formouse, our governments will contribute to 67 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 3: ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of for Mouse. 68 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 3: The administration's reaction to that joint statement is that smooth 69 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 3: things over when the President meets with NATO's Secretary General 70 00:03:57,880 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 3: a little bit later this afternoon. 71 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 4: Direct quote from the President of the United States on NATO, 72 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 4: and I will share it with all of you. They 73 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 4: were tested and they failed. And I would add it's 74 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 4: quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American 75 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 4: people over the course of the last six weeks when 76 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 4: it's the American people who have been defunding their defense. 77 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 4: As you know, President Trump will be meeting with Secretary 78 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 4: Rutta in a couple of hours here at the White House, 79 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 4: and I know he looks forward to having a very 80 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 4: frank and candid conversation with him. 81 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: Now, before I even get to some of the money 82 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: aspects of this, let me just talk about the loyalty aspect, 83 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: all right. There have been repeated moments where NATO allies 84 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: have been deliberately slow to act. They've also been multiple 85 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: moments where they've been divided or outright unwilling to step 86 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: up when it matters the most, because it's all about 87 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 1: the money to them, whether it is confronting our adversaries, 88 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,919 Speaker 1: whether it's increasing their own defense readiness so they're were 89 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: less reliant on the US or backing US led initiatives 90 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: on the global stage. Our NATO allies have been screwing 91 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: us every time chance they get. So what happens if 92 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: the United States of America stops treating NATO as a 93 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: one way street. That is the question the media should 94 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: be asking, and they're not. It could actually mean a 95 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 1: range of different things happen. It could actually make Europe 96 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: stand up for themselves more and that would actually be 97 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: a good thing for us in this country. It would 98 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: also force them to more directly meet their obligations to 99 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: applying economic or even diplomatic pressure on others and saying 100 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: to their allies within NATO outside of the US like hey, 101 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: we got to step up, and you got to step up, 102 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: and in other countries like well, if we're going to step up, 103 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: then you better step up because then there would be 104 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: actual accountability. Now, the goal for the White House, I 105 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: want to be clear, and I've talked to the White 106 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: House about this is not to abandon NATO. It is 107 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: to in essence, rebalance it as it's been described, or 108 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: even rework it, or re organize it, or if you 109 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: really want to look at it for what it is, 110 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: it needs to have a balance sheet that has changed drastically. 111 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: The President has made it clear that the current system 112 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: rewards weakness and dependency. It penalizes the country doing the 113 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: most to keep the alliance strong, which, over and over 114 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: again is you guessed it, us, the United States of 115 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: America and our tax dollars. And for far too long, 116 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: as Trump has been saying this, America has been expected 117 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: to do more, spend more, risks more, including our men 118 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: and women in uniform, and the others who are doing 119 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: the least are benefiting the most from our protections. Now, 120 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: let's also just talk about the money, because this matters. 121 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: As of the twenty twenty four to twenty twenty five budget, 122 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 1: that's the latest that we have, the United States is 123 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: the largest contributor to NATO's direct budget, accounting for approximately 124 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,679 Speaker 1: fifteen point eight to sixteen percent of the Shared Common 125 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: Fund und budget. All right. This direct funding, by the way, 126 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: covers NATO's headquarters, joint operations, and infrastructure amounting to about 127 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: five hundred and seventy two million to seven hundred and 128 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: fifty three million in twenty twenty four. These are the 129 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: best numbers I have. That's a hell of a lot 130 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: of our tax dollars. Now, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 131 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Extended Group 132 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: is very interesting because here's the breakdown of the US funding. 133 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: Number One, direct funding, that is the common budget. It 134 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: is a percentage share. The US contributes about one sixth 135 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: of NATO's direct annual budget, which totaled around three point 136 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: five billion in twenty twenty four. Now, as in March 137 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty four, the US and Germany shared the 138 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: highest percentage, both paying fifteen point eighty eight percent of 139 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: the common funded budget. You go back and look at 140 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: the twenty nineteen agreement, all right, it reduced the US 141 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: share from twenty two percent to about sixteen percent. That 142 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: would be matching Germany. Then NATO has another part, and 143 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: that's their indirect funding. That's defense spending. There's a two 144 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: percent target. NATO members aim to spend two percent of 145 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: their own gross te metastic product on national defense. Now 146 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: the US is spending for example, in twenty twenty three, 147 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: about three point four to nine percent of its GDP 148 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: on defense and total defense output in terms of raw dollars, 149 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: the US accounts for roughly sixty to sixty two percent 150 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: of the total defense spending of all NATO nations combined. 151 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: What does that mean? We're the ones doing all the 152 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: work and they're getting the benefit of our hard work. 153 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: That is estimated to be about one trillion dollars in 154 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. That number is going to go up 155 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty six because of what's happening in Iran. 156 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: Just so you understand now, the recent quote promises or 157 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: dive developments have been a five percent target. Following pressure 158 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: from the Trump administration that NATO allies in June of 159 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five agreed to a new non binding goal 160 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: of increasing spending defense spending to five percent of GDP 161 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: by twenty thirty five. Guess what, most of the countries 162 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: aren't moving at all, because it kicked the can down 163 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: the road a decade to twenty thirty five. All right, 164 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: European allies in Canada have significantly increased their spending, however, 165 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: with estimates suggesting all members would meet the two percent 166 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: target at least now for the first time, but there's 167 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: still far to many other countries that are not doing it. 168 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: This goes back to exactly what I said about the 169 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 1: President of the United States of America, Donald Trump understands 170 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 1: that unless you're willing to walk away and directly criticize 171 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: these quote allies and say good luck, defending yourself, nothing 172 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 1: will change, Nothing at all will change. And the President 173 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: knows that. So is it time for America to say 174 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: to our allies, our fake allies and NATO, good luck, 175 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: like defend yourself, good luck. Yes, overwhelmingly, that is exactly 176 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: what we should be doing. I think there's a very 177 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: good chance that is where we're headed. I think there's 178 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: a very good chance that this is what the future 179 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: is going to look like. And I'm honestly beyond thrilled 180 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: that this is what's happening. 181 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to the forty seven Morning Update 182 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever 183 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 2: you're listening to this podcast right now and for more 184 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 2: in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast 185 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 2: and we will see you back here on Monday morning.