Trump stated that he would encourage Russia to do whatever it takes with countries in NATO who don’t pay enough money
Former President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would “encourage as much Russian aggression as is justifiable” — a Statement that he would not adhere to the collective-defense clause at the heart of NATO if he was reelected.
“Until I found out, NATO was busted,” Trump said at a rally in Conway, South Carolina. I said, “Everyone is gonna pay.” “If they don’t pay, are you going to protect us?” “I said absolutely not,” and they were incredulous.
While he was in Washington, Trump stated that “one of the presidents of a large country” once asked him whether the US would still defend against an invasion by Russia without paying any fees.
Trump recalled being told by the president that he wouldn’t defend him, saying “No, I wouldn’t.” He added: ‘I would encourage them to do what they want in the hell of it. It is your responsibility to pay. It is your obligation to settle your bills.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden outlined the possible consequences of Trump’s comments and stated that he is making it clear that he will abandon our NATO allies.
Trump’s declaration that he intend to allow Putin to authorize further war and violence, continue the brutal assault on a free Ukraine, and extend his aggression towards Poland and the Baltic States is both disgusting as well as dangerous, according to Biden’s campaign.
On Sunday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Trump’s remarks about the alliance could endanger European and American soldiers.
Stoltenberg stated in a statement that any attack on NATO would be met with a united and aggressive reaction. But any proposal to suggest that allies are incapable of defending each other undermines all our security — at least for the US, and puts American and European soldiers at greater risk.
Putin also has long complained bitterly about NATO, having argued with heads of member states that he threatened to pull the U.S out of this bloc over demands member countries spend 2 per cent of their gross domestic product on defense?
President Joe Biden, in contrast to his Republican predecessor, has made efforts to reassure NATO of the U.S.’s commitment to the alliance.
An $886 billion defense bill signed by Biden last month prohibits a president from withdrawing unilaterally from NATO, which could undermine Trump’s 2024 campaign promise to fundamentally reconsider NATO’s purpose and mission.
The expenditure on defense was only accounted for by 11 out of 30 member nations in a report released last year, with some countries spending 2% of their GDP or more. Nevertheless, the figure is a goal and not a requirement, and several NATO nations have raised their military expenditures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO membership was granted to Finland last year, and Sweden is currently in the process of joining the alliance. A new threat assessment based on new intelligence has led Denmark’s defense minister to issue a warning that Russia may target a NATO country in three to five years.
