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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: NATO is deliberately softening language on climate change, gender, and diversity in internal documents to avoid friction with the Trump administration, according to sources familiar with the process
• Terms like “green technologies” and “gender equality” are being replaced with more neutral alternatives, such as “innovative technologies” and “operational environment,” to secure consensus among all 32 member states, especially the U.S.
🔭 The context: Former President Donald Trump, now in a second term, has taken aggressive steps against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies
• This includes attempts to eliminate such programs from the Pentagon and cut funding to international organizations
• Trump's skepticism toward NATO has previously included threats to withdraw U.S. support and calls for significant increases in defense spending by European allies
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Diluting NATO’s climate and gender language risks undermining vital frameworks that address environmental and social resilience within military operations
• Climate advisers, who help armed forces adapt to environmental threats like extreme heat or flooding, play a crucial role in maintaining operational readiness
• Avoiding explicit climate language could limit NATO’s ability to integrate environmental considerations into its long-term security planning
⏭️ What's next: As the Trump administration signals further budget cuts — including a proposed 48% reduction to the State Department — NATO is bracing for deeper funding and policy pressures
• Member states may face increased pressure to align messaging with U.S. preferences to maintain alliance cohesion
• Upcoming NATO summits and policy reviews will likely reflect this recalibrated stance, potentially affecting broader international cooperation on climate-security linkages
💬 One quote: “It’s not a woke agenda, it's part of a military agenda, and now more people are pricking up their ears to make sure it is spoken about in military terms,” - a NATO official
📈 One stat: The Trump administration has proposed cutting U.S. State Department funding — which supports NATO and 20 other international bodies — by 48%
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