NATO not about ‘absolute obedience’ to US, German defense minister says

NATO membership does not mean "absolute obedience" to the United States, Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday in response to criticism from the Trump administration.

In an interview with the weekly news magazine Der Spiegel, Pistorius emphasized that the alliance operates on consensus, not domination by any single member.

When asked, "Trump demands loyalty from NATO partners like Germany—by which he means absolute obedience. Do you go along with that?," Pistorius rejected the premise.

"Obedience is not NATO's concept," he said. "Decisions within NATO are made by the free consensus of all member states, and without being dictated by individual member states."

Pistorius acknowledged that the Trump administration's tone can sometimes be "a bit rougher" during disagreements with European allies, but said Europeans have grown used to it and remain focused on common interests.

He stressed that Germany is significantly boosting its defense capabilities out of its own conviction, not under external pressure.

"We are investing heavily in our deterrence and defense capabilities," Pistorius said. "We undertake all efforts to strengthen the operational readiness of the German armed forces … for the security of Germany and our NATO partners."

The minister conceded that European allies had long failed to meet their NATO commitments — particularly on defense spending — to the detriment of the alliance and the United States. He suggested that those days are now in the past.

"What matters is that we return to defining a goal that we all implement together," Pistorius said, referring to the recently agreed defense spending targets. He added that European nations are now investing heavily and taking greater responsibility for the alliance's collective defense.