In an interview with the New York Times last Thursday, Donald Trump remarked that he would not automatically give support to vulnerable members of Nato in the event of a Russian attack.
The implication is that the United States cannot risk its involvement in a dangerous war with Russia to protect distant allies if there is little at stake for the American people.
This is consistent with Trump's isolationist outlook and his apparent hostility to US engagements overseas, suggesting that on foreign policy, he is effectively in the paleoconservative camp.
In recent weeks Trump has gone out of his way to express his support for Israel, applauding settlement building in the West Bank. The Republican Platform Committee has approved a proposal to bin the party's commitment to a two-state solution.
