Why free world must pray Donald Trump is still the same old blowhard

Article 5 of Nato’s North Atlantic Treaty states the members “agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all” and that “if such an armed attack occurs, each of them... will assist the Party or Parties so attacked”. One for all, and all for one.

Understandably, it does not envisage a situation in which one Nato member attacks another because, of course, that would be utterly ridiculous, unthinkable, absurd. Yet, two weeks after spending Christmas Day suggesting the US should take control of Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada, Donald Trump is still at it.

Canadian leaders initially dismissed his social media posts as a joke. However, with Trump now saying the US could use “economic force” to make Canada join the US, they are now taking him more seriously. Foreign minister Melanie Joly said: “We will never back down in the face of threats.”

Donald Trump has persisted with claims that the US should take control of Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada (Picture: Chip Somodevilla) | Getty Images

Meanwhile, with Trump refusing to rule out military force to take Greenland, currently part of Nato member Denmark, France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot warned: "There is obviously no question that the European Union would let other nations of the world attack its sovereign borders.”

Suddenly, it’s all starting to sound rather serious. Even if he’s just joking, it’s still serious. The world has pressing crises in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, to name but three, yet the President-elect of the world’s most powerful country seems intent on inventing new ones.

John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser in his first term, has said that “I was there when he almost withdrew” from Nato and believes Trump’s demands that Nato members increase military spending are designed “not to strengthen Nato” but instead “lay the groundwork to get out”.

Thankfully, during that first term, Trump was talked out of a number of stupid ideas by people like Bolton. This time, however, many in his Cabinet are fellow travellers.

And so the free world holds its breath and prays that Trump is once again a blowhard, all talk and little action. If not, then heaven help us all.