Trump's victory "caused a panic among America's allies" since the billionaire-turned-politician had been critical of NATO member states not allocating enough on defense, the research advisor and former director of the Moscow-based Institute for US and Canadian Studies observed.
In July, Donald Trump said that he wanted to "keep NATO," but wanted other members to increase their military spending to 2 percent of GDP. Out of 28 countries in the bloc, only five, comprising Estonia, Greece, Poland, the United Kingdom and the US, delivered on this pledge in 2015.
The Obama administration has urged NATO members to spend more on defense, but has never indicated that Washington could withdraw its pledge to come to the assistance of any member subject to an attack if Europeans failed to meet the 2-percent threshold.
"I think this is what imparted a certain overtone to Obama's trip. He had to reassure allies that there will be no drastic changes to Washington's policy on NATO," Rogov said. "Perhaps, Trump's threats could force them to spend more, but I don't think that they will meet the 2-percent mark."
Rogov further said that Barack Obama also tried to send a signal to Trump – "this is how you talk to allies, there is no need to make bald statements."
The trip is "Obama's last will to NATO's European members and a signal telling Trump not to abandon policies that the United States and the alliance have pursued for the last three years."
