It’s interesting that Skinner is identifying as “existential threats” to the United States the very countries whose dictatorial leaders Trump has lavishly praised in all cases. This could create an internal conflict – I’m guessing she would disagree, then, with Trump’s promise to “let Putin do whatever the hell he wants.”25 (And in fact, Trump’s advisers at the time did attempt to distance themselves from this remark.) Trump has misunderstood for years how NATO funding works. NATO has a target that each member country spends a minimum of 2% of gross domestic product on defense, and most countries are not meeting that target. But the figure is a guideline and not a binding contract, nor does it create “bills” – member countries haven’t been failing to pay their share of NATO’s common budget to run the organization.
Full contextual analysis of Section 2.3: Department of State here.