French defence minister Florence Parly (Image: Sylvain Lefevre/Getty)
Mr Trump, as Nato’s de facto leader, has made defence spending a priority following years of budget cuts after the 1945-1990 Cold War, pushing his European allies to spend more on defence.
He has also repeatedly cast doubt on Nato’s value to the US.
“What Europeans are worried about most is this: will the US’ commitment be perennial?,” Mme Parly said during a conference in Washington.
It is because of this new incertitude that the Europeans have “started preparing themselves – in case,” she said in reference to the bloc’s plans for a “real European army” to reduce dependence on America’s security umbrella.
Without mentioning Mr Trump by name, Mme Parly condemned Washington’s eroding ethic of solidarity.
She said in a reference to the Lockheed-Martin F-35 – a US-made fighter jet: “The alliance should be unconditional, otherwise it is not an alliance.
“Nato’s solidarity clause is called Article 5, and not article F-35.”
Mr Trump has pushed his EU allies to purchase military products made by US defence companies, including the F-35.
Nato’s Article 5 is a provision that means an attack against one ally is considered an attack against all of them.
Mme Parly said: “I myself am very concerned about
