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77 Years Ago Today, NATO Was Created to Defend the West—But Is It?

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Image of a political conference featuring Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and former U.S. President Donald Trump discussing NATO at a podium.

Image of a political conference featuring Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and former U.S. President Donald Trump discussing NATO at a podium.

WATCH: 77 Years Ago Today, NATO Was Created to Defend the West—But Is It?

77 years ago, on April 4, 1949, the NATO treaty was signed. The alliance, known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was created to deter Soviet expansion and ensure collective security among Western nations.

For decades, it succeeded in that mission. However, today’s geopolitical landscape raises a more complicated question: not whether the United States should leave NATO, but whether the alliance, in its current form, still serves American interests fairly.

Recent tensions surrounding Iran have exposed a persistent imbalance. While the United States continues to provide the backbone of NATO’s military power, many European allies remain reluctant to fully support American-led operations that fall outside a narrow interpretation of Article 5.

That hesitation is not entirely surprising. NATO’s collective defense clause applies when a member is attacked, not necessarily when the United States engages in offensive or preemptive actions.

Still, the broader issue is reciprocity. The United States maintains extensive military infrastructure across Europe, provides advanced defense capabilities, and has historically underwritten the alliance’s security umbrella. In return, Washington expects more consistent strategic alignment.

As previously reported by The Gateway Pundit, President Donald Trump is reportedly considering withdrawing from NATO, reflecting growing frustration within parts of the American political establishment.

However, leaving the alliance is neither simple nor likely. Legislation passed in 2024 requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate to approve any withdrawal, making unilateral action effectively impossible. 

This legal reality underscores an important point: the debate is not truly about exit, but about leverage and reform.

It is also important to acknowledge that NATO has not always been a one-sided arrangement. The alliance invoked Article 5 for the first and only time after the September 11 attacks, leading European allies to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan. 

Thousands of allied troops were deployed, and many lost their lives alongside American forces. That history matters. It demonstrates that NATO can function as intended when the threat is clearly defined within its framework.

At the same time, structural imbalances have persisted. For years, many NATO members failed to meet the agreed-upon benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defense. While recent pressure—particularly during the Trump administration—has pushed more countries toward that target, disparities remain. 

The United States continues to account for a disproportionate share of total NATO defense spending, raising legitimate concerns about burden-sharing.

Reform, therefore, should focus on three key areas. First, enforceable defense spending commitments must become the norm rather than the exception. While this has largely been the case under Trump, it remains unclear how NATO allies will respond under future administrations. 

NATO should also clarify expectations for allied support in operations that, while not strictly defensive, still serve broader Western interests. 

Finally, the alliance must adapt to modern threats, including cyber warfare, economic coercion, and strategic competition with powers such as China, rather than remaining overly focused on its Cold War structure.

Leaving NATO would create a vacuum that adversaries such as Russia and China would quickly exploit. The alliance provides the United States with forward operating bases, intelligence coordination, and strategic depth that cannot be easily replicated.

Of course, European nations would likely bear the greatest immediate consequences if the United States were to leave NATO. However, that does not mean withdrawal would be the right decision. 

Trump is known for following through on his positions, but that does not preclude negotiation. The same principle applies to NATO: the goal should not be abandonment, but a recalibration of the alliance to better reflect mutual responsibility and shared interests.

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The post 77 Years Ago Today, NATO Was Created to Defend the West—But Is It? appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Harmeet Dhillon: DOJ ‘Will Explore Possibility of Federal Charges’ in Brutal Assault on TPUSA Journalist Savanah Hernandez

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April 15, 2026

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As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, conservative journalist and TPUSA Frontlines reporter Savanah Hernandez was viciously assaulted by a deranged far-left anti-ICE mob outside the Whipple ICE Facility in Minneapolis on Saturday during their unhinged “National F*ck ICE Day” meltdown.

United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, appeared on Newsmax and told host Carl Higbie that the DOJ will explore the possibility of federal charges in the attack on Hernandez.

Carl Higbie: United States Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon. Great to have you back on, ma’am. This is incredible that we’re actually having to have this conversation.

AAG Dhillon: Yeah, I mean, it’s all too familiar for me. I’ve been fighting for journalists under this kind of attack for, you know, close to a decade now, representing journalist Andy Ngo several years ago in an Antifa attack in Portland, Oregon. And since then, we’ve seen countless incidents like this.

And, you know, very concerning what happened to this young lady, this reporter, and I’ve been in touch with her team. And, you know, we have an open investigation, so I can’t get into any details.

But my office is actively involved in investigating what happened and seeing whether there are federal charges that can be brought.

Of course, FBI and potentially Homeland Security investigators also do their legwork and investigation. We analyze the legal claims. And so we’re going to gather all the evidence. But one of the individuals seen there in that mob is somebody who I’ve already had indicted for the attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, that’s William Kelly.

He’s out on bond. And, you know, this judge has refused to keep him in custody, although we believe he’s a dangerous person who’s done this type of attack in other cities, including here in the District of Columbia, allegedly.

So, you know, there’s only so much the Department of Justice can do when judges refuse to keep communities safe.

Watch:

Hernandez was attacked by a family of radical extremists:Chris Ostroushko (the self-proclaimed “Minnesota Angry Man”), his wife DeYanna, and their daughter Paige Ostroushko (aka “MN Angry Daughter,” a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point soccer player).

Video footage captured the entire cowardly assault: the family swarming Hernandez, blasting whistles in her ears, waving dildos in her face, screaming obscenities, punching her, and slamming her to the concrete simply because she was filming their meltdown in a public space.

Paige was briefly detained before being released. Her boyfriend, 20-year-old Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia of St. Cloud, was arrested on probable cause for obstructing police.

The post Harmeet Dhillon: DOJ ‘Will Explore Possibility of Federal Charges’ in Brutal Assault on TPUSA Journalist Savanah Hernandez appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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HORROR: Father of Three Suddenly BURSTS INTO FLAMES Near California Shopping Mall

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April 15, 2026

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Emergency responders transporting a stretcher at night, showcasing teamwork during a rescue operation in a challenging environment.Emergency responders transporting a stretcher at night, showcasing teamwork during a rescue operation in a challenging environment.A 35-year-old California man became engulfed in flames near a shopping mall in Victorville. Credit: GoFundMe

A terrifying incident unfolded in a Southern California town that has left a young father of three fighting for his life.

As The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday, a 35-year-old man named Joel from San Bernardino County suddenly burst into flames at a Victorville shopping center near the Mall of Victor Valley.

According to the Victorville Police Department, the incident occurred on March 30 at roughly 7:35 p.m.

When the police arrived, they stumbled upon a gruesome scene, as Joel’s skin was reportedly falling off from the flames.

Joel was left with third-degree burns covering 90% of his body.

He was airlifted to Arrowhead Regional Hospital and is in ‘extremely critical’ condition.

It’s unclear how the fire started, but witnesses told the Victor Valley News that they suspect it could have started in an area that Joel, a transient from nearby Hesperia, used as an encampment.

Joel’s sister-in-law, Jenny Cobb, started a GoFundMe to support his recovery and released the following statement:

Our family is completely heartbroken. Joel is a father of three, and his children need him. Watching someone you love go through something this devastating is something you can never be prepared for.

We are leaning on our faith during this time, trusting God, and asking for prayers for Joel’s healing, strength, and recovery.

The road ahead is overwhelming. When Joel is able to recover, he will face multiple surgeries, intensive burn care, risk of infection, and a long, painful rehabilitation process that could take months or even years. Burn recovery is one of the most difficult journeys a person can go through, both physically and emotionally.

We are asking for help so that Joel can focus on fighting for his life and, if he recovers, on healing and getting back to his children—without the added burden of financial stress.

Joel’s family is currently seeking $9,000 in total donations. As of this writing, the GoFundMe has raised just shy of $3,500.

The Daily Mail notes that Joel’s wife, Brittney Buell, died unexpectedly in 2022. The pair shared three children: Aleah, Jimmy, and Joel.

The post HORROR: Father of Three Suddenly BURSTS INTO FLAMES Near California Shopping Mall appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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WATCH: Jon Stewart Responds to His Striking Resemblance to the Bedridden Patient in Trump’s Deleted AI ‘Jesus’ Meme: ‘I Didn’t Realize My Look Had Reached… Leper Territory’

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April 15, 2026

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A man in a hospital bed receives a healing touch, while a commentator observes the scene, highlighting themes of faith and recovery.

A man in a hospital bed receives a healing touch, while a commentator observes the scene, highlighting themes of faith and recovery.

The Daily Show host Jon Stewart had a goofy on-air meltdown Monday night after realizing he has a striking resemblance to the sickly man being “healed” in a controversial AI-generated meme posted by President Donald Trump.

The now-deleted image, which Trump shared on Truth Social late Sunday night, depicted the president dressed as Jesus Christ, wearing flowing white robes with a red sash, extending a glowing hand over an elderly man lying weak and bedridden in a hospital bed.

The background included American flags, bald eagles, fighter jets, and a winged creature with horns in the sky.

Trump deleted the post after it drew sharp backlash from some conservatives who labeled it blasphemous.

When asked about the meme Monday at the White House, Trump downplayed it, claiming he thought the image showed him “as a doctor” in a Red Cross context rather than as Jesus.

During Monday evening’s episode of The Daily Show, Stewart paused when the meme appeared on screen.

Zooming in on the bedridden patient, he said, “Oh my God… What the guy in the bed, can I just…”

“Am I okay?”

Stewart continued, “What the f-ck?! I mean, look, I know I don’t have the vigor and spunk of my MTV days. But I didn’t know we were here already. I didn’t realize my look had reached… leper territory.”

“I mean, from the picture, it looks like it was touch and go for a while. Thank God, in my time of need, I was surrounded by family… This is freaking me the f-ck out. I’m just glad that Jesus-Trump brought his healing orb.”

The official The Daily Show account posted the full segment clip on X, captioned, “Trump posted an AI image of himself as Jesus healing a bedridden–wait, is that Jon Stewart?!”

WATCH:

The meme was posted amid Trump’s ongoing public criticism of Pope Leo XIv, whom Trump accused of being “soft on crime” and too weak on foreign policy issues.

The post WATCH: Jon Stewart Responds to His Striking Resemblance to the Bedridden Patient in Trump’s Deleted AI ‘Jesus’ Meme: ‘I Didn’t Realize My Look Had Reached… Leper Territory’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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