In brief

• European NATO members are preparing for a possible Republican defeat in the midterm elections, fearing a harder Trump line on the alliance.
• Diplomats say Trump could withdraw several thousand more US troops from Europe and tie the US presence to a Ukraine peace deal.
• The White House said Trump has done more for NATO than anyone else, while maintaining that allies should back the US in its war with Iran.

Allies Prepare for the Worst Case

European NATO members are preparing for the possibility that Republicans lose the midterm elections, according to diplomats cited by Politico (ЗМІ: у НАТО очікують посилення нападок Трампа після проміжних виборів – Європейська правда) (Трамп у разі поразки на виборах може завдати нищівного удару по НАТО, - Politico – UNIAN). Allies fear that a Congress with a Democratic majority would limit Trump's room to act on domestic policy, pushing him to concentrate on foreign affairs, where a president has more freedom.

Troop Cuts and a Possible Ukraine Link

Three NATO diplomats said one step Trump could take is withdrawing several thousand more US troops from Europe. Politico reports that he could also make the continued US military presence in Europe conditional on European countries agreeing to a Ukraine peace deal that Washington supports.

Assessments and White House Response

A senior European defense official said presidents who have lost political influence often combine frustration with risky foreign-policy moves, and that attacks on NATO look like a lasting part of Trump's worldview. A White House deputy press secretary, Olivia Wells, told Politico that Trump has done more for NATO than anyone else.