Politics
77 Years Ago Today, NATO Was Created to Defend the West—But Is It?
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.
Politics
Severely Injured Iranian Supreme Leader Is Waiting for Prosthetic Leg, Will Need Face Surgery: NYT
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei – Wiki Commons
Mojtaba is reportedly in bad shape, but alive and mentally alert.
Iran’s new Supreme Ruler, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, hasn’t been seen or heard since his appointment in March.
Power is being exerted by Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders on matters of security, war, and diplomacy.
The New York Times has published a new report on Mojtaba’s health woes:
“Mr. Khamenei, who was selected by a council of senior clerics as the new supreme leader, has been in hiding since American and Israeli forces bombed his father’s compound on Feb. 28, where he also lived with his family. His father, wife and son were all killed.”
Mojtaba Khamenei has undergone three surgeries on one leg and may require a prosthetic.
He is recovering from hand surgery, while severe burns to his face and lips have made speaking difficult. Plastic surgery is expected.
Source: NYT pic.twitter.com/RftbTeWHf4
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 23, 2026
The NYT sources say access to the Ayatollah is extremely limited, now.
No senior officials visit him, lest Israel trace them to his location and kill him.
“Though Mr. Khamenei was gravely wounded, he is mentally sharp and engaged, according to four senior Iranian officials familiar with his health. One leg was operated on three times, and he is awaiting a prosthetic.
He had surgery on one hand and is slowly regaining function. His face and lips have been burned severely, making it difficult for him to speak, the officials said, adding that, eventually, he will need plastic surgery.”
Messages to Mojtaba ‘are handwritten, sealed in envelopes and relayed via a human chain from one trusted courier to the next’.
The New York Post reported:
“Although the report describes Khamenei as difficult to reach, it also cites the Iranian officials as saying the country’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and health minister, Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi, ‘have both been involved in his care’.
The report supports Trump administration officials’ contention that peace talks are inhibited by slow communication and uncertainty about whether foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are able to speak for their nation.”
Read more:
Iran’s New Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Reportedly Left Crippled and Disfigured by Airstrike That Killed His Father
The post Severely Injured Iranian Supreme Leader Is Waiting for Prosthetic Leg, Will Need Face Surgery: NYT appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
President Trump on Thursday released a statement on ousted Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan.
John Phelan on was reportedly fired by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday.
Undersecretary Hung Cao will become Acting Secretary of the Navy, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced.
Full statement from Sean Parnell:
Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is departing the administration, effective immediately.
On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy.
We wish him well in his future endeavors.
Undersecretary Hung Cao will become Acting Secretary of the Navy.
STATEMENT:
Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is departing the administration, effective immediately.
On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy.
We wish…
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) April 22, 2026
At first it was unclear if John Phelan was fired or resigned but Fox News later reported that he was indeed fired.
NEW: Navy Secretary John Phelan has just been ‘FIRED’, reports Fox’s @JacquiHeinrich pic.twitter.com/8yT324P8mT
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) April 22, 2026
On Thursday, President Trump’s statement suggested Phelan departed on his own accord.
Full statement from President Trump:
John Phelan is a long time friend, and very successful businessman, who did an outstanding job serving as my Secretary Of The Navy for the last year.
John helped my Administration rebuild Sleepy Joe Biden’s rapidly depleted, and almost abandoned, Navy. Now, because of John, and all of the Great Men and Women lovingly and tirelessly involved, we have the strongest Navy in the World — BY FAR!
John Phelan is smart, tough, and respected by all, and although he has decided to move on from his position as Secretary Of The Navy, I very much appreciate the job that he has done, and would certainly like to have him back within the Trump Administration sometime in the future.
A very special thank you to John for his service to the United States of America! President DONALD J. TRUMP
Later Thursday, President Trump said Phelan had conflicts with some people.
WATCH:
"He's a very good man.. He's a hard charger, and he had some conflicts with some other people, mostly as to building and buying new ships.
I'm very aggressive in the new… pic.twitter.com/YFIDVF160l
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 23, 2026
Wednesday’s firing is part of the latest shakeup at the Pentagon.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, earlier this month, ordered Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to step down.
Last summer, Hegseth fired the general in charge of the agency that released the dubious ‘top secret’ intelligence assessment about the US’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse was fired as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Last year, Hegseth formally terminated the service of every member sitting on the Department of Defense’s advisory committees.
The post President Trump Releases Statement on Ousted Secretary of the Navy John Phelan (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Politics
Jenna Bush Hager Interviews Four Living Former Presidents, TODAY Show Heavily Edits Clips of Joe Biden (VIDEO)
Former First Daughter Jenna Bush Hager interviewed four former US Presidents as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary.
Jenna Bush Hager interviewed Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and her father, George W. Bush.
The TODAY Show only showed short, edited clips of Joe Biden.
Per the TODAY Show:
Former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are sharing a message of optimism with Americans as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
The four presidents each spoke individually with Jenna Bush Hager in a TODAY exclusive on April 21 in which they expressed their hope for the future and affirmed the principles they believe are a bedrock of American government and civic life.
Jenna spoke with Biden, 83; Obama, 64; Clinton, 79; and her father, 79, at a private event in Philadelphia over the weekend called “History Talks,” which was hosted by The History Channel.
The event traditionally features former presidents and was done in partnership with Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal. President Donald Trump is also working with The History Channel on an America 250 project that they plan to announce later this spring.
Joe Biden, 83, regurgitated old talking points.
“We’re the most unique country in the world,” Biden said.
“Most unique country in the world in the sense that we really do think democracy is dictated by the rule of the Constitution. And we do believe and we act, we do well, that all men are created equal,” Biden added before they cut his clip.
“I’m not sure we’re as divided as we portray,” Biden said.
“I’m sure there’s anywhere from 15% to 30% of the people who are on the one end here. But I think the vast majority of people are coming around to conclude that those things that they don’t even think about it directly, but are the safeguards in the Constitution,” Biden said.
WATCH:
The post Jenna Bush Hager Interviews Four Living Former Presidents, TODAY Show Heavily Edits Clips of Joe Biden (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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