‘Five Eyes alliance’ crumbling after UK, Aus, NZ and Canada give US cold shoulder

Donald Trump’s rehabilitation of US-Russia relations has forced allies to consider scaling back intelligence, it has been reported.

Members of the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance and nations including Saudi Arabia and Israel are becoming increasingly wary about what to share with the White House.

An alliance between Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and America was formalised in the post-World War II era and has since transformed into a robust global surveillance mechanism since then.

No decision on reversing this alliance has been made – but members are reportedly looking at ways to revise current protocols.

‘Those discussions are already happening,’ said an NBC source with direct knowledge of the discussions.

The extent of a US policy change toward Russia remains unclear, but the pause of US military aid and intelligence to Ukraine has given allies a clear signal whose side Trump is o. A Western official told the broadcaster that allies are weighing the possible implications of what could be a historic shift.

Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House national security council, said Trump is ‘clear-eyed’ about America’s adversaries.

He said in an email: ‘The US has unrivaled intelligence capabilities which is exactly why intelligence sharing initiatives such as the Five Eyes exist.

‘President Trump is clear-eyed on all threats our adversaries pose to our national security and he will work with any ally or partner who understands the dangerous world inherited after the disastrous Biden years.

‘On Biden’s watch, we had the war in Ukraine, the surrender in Afghanistan, and the slaughter of the innocents on October 7.’