Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
David Swanson argues that if military spending made us safer, the world would be at peace — but instead, we see record-breaking budgets fueling endless war. He criticises NATO as a bloated, unaccountable war machine that thrives on militarism for profit, promoting ever-increasing arms spending while gutting essential services like healthcare and education. Swanson warns that U.S. media narratives, especially those painting Trump as anti-NATO, manipulate public opinion into blindly supporting NATO — even though Trump has actually pressured allies to spend more on weapons than ever before. This militarism, Swanson says, is not about defence but about corporate profit, escalation, and propaganda. NATO undermines international law and peace, bypassing the UN, and normalises war as policy. Swanson calls for a mass movement not to reform NATO, but to shut it down and replace it with diplomacy, nonviolence, and international cooperation.
A broad alliance of organisations and activists is organising a counter-summit and demonstration opposing NATO, taking place in The Hague on June 21 and 22. In the days leading up to the NATO summit, the coalition aims to amplify a critical, alternative voice. The event will culminate in a public demonstration against the NATO war summit, with a diverse range of participants expected from both the Netherlands and abroad.
Join the Countersummit: tni.org/en/event/no-nato-war-summit
Visit our website: tni.org
Support our work: tni.org/en/support-tni
Sign up for our newsletter: tni.org/en/subscribe
David Swanson argues that if military spending made us safer, the world would be at peace — but instead, we see record-breaking budgets fueling endless war. He criticises NATO as a bloated, unaccountable war machine that thrives on militarism for profit, promoting ever-increasing arms spending while gutting essential services like healthcare and education. Swanson warns that U.S. media narratives, especially those painting Trump as anti-NATO, manipulate public opinion into blindly supporting NATO — even though Trump has actually pressured allies to spend more on weapons than ever before. This militarism, Swanson says, is not about defence but about corporate profit, escalation, and propaganda. NATO undermines international law and peace, bypassing the UN, and normalises war as policy. Swanson calls for a mass movement not to reform NATO, but to shut it down and replace it with diplomacy, nonviolence, and international cooperation.
A broad alliance of organisations and activists is organising a counter-summit and demonstration opposing NATO, taking place in The Hague on June 21 and 22. In the days leading up to the NATO summit, the coalition aims to amplify a critical, alternative voice. The event will culminate in a public demonstration against the NATO war summit, with a diverse range of participants expected from both the Netherlands and abroad.
Join the Countersummit: tni.org/en/event/no-nato-war-summit
Visit our website: tni.org
Support our work: tni.org/en/support-tni
Sign up for our newsletter: tni.org/en/subscribe
