Former president Donald J. Trump said on Saturday that while president, he told heads of NATO nations the he’d “encourage” Russia “to do whatever they want” to nations that have not paid the amount they were owed by the military alliance.
In making a similar claim that previously made to demonstrate his negotiation skills and negotiation skills, Trump repeated a claim he has made before to highlight his negotiation skills. Trump did not make clear that, while there was a related spending dispute but it wasn’t about the unpaid debt owed to NATO however, it was about European countries delivering on their obligations to pay for their own military. Certain NATO members are not spending enough to meet an unofficial pledge to spend 2.5% of their total economic production for defense.
Mr. Trump’s claim that he might support Russian aggressiveness against NATO allies United States — for any reason at a time when Republicans on Congress have come out against more assistance for Ukraine in its fight against Russia and is expected to raise concerns in NATO members who are already worried about the possibility of an eventual Trump returning.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, dismissed the warnings as “threat propagandizing” during the course of an interview with Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, that was broadcast on Thursday. “We are not interested to be in Poland, Latvia or anywhere in the world,” Mr. Putin declared.
However, he also urged to the United States to “make an agreement” to end the conflict in Ukraine by giving Ukrainian territorial claims to Russia remarks that were interpreted from a certain perspective as an invitation to American conservatives to halt any further involvement in the war.
Certain European officials and experts in foreign policy have indicated that they are worried about the possibility that Russia could invading an NATO nation once its conflict with Ukraine ends, fears that they claim are increased by the possibility of. Trump returning to the presidency.
In a statement released, a White House spokesman, Andrew Bates was quoted as calling the remarks of Mr. Trump’s remarks “appalling and defiant,” saying, “Rather than calling for the launching of wars or promoting chaos, Biden will continue to work with the President Biden is determined to build American leadership and advocate for our national security concerns and not in opposition to them.”
He is. Trump has previously expressed his belief that supporting NATO is too burdensome for the United States, saying the alliance drains the country’s military and financial resources. The site of his campaign says the nation must review the purpose of NATO.
He has been known to have privately told NATO participants that they should know that the United States would not defend them against Russian attacks when the members were to be in arrears. In 2012, he said in a presidential campaign speech in which he claimed that “hundreds of billions flowed into” to NATO following his threat.
The following day, the president mentioned the story and said that he had advised European leaders that they must “pay the price.”
Then, he added,”the president of “a large nation was up and said”Well, sir. If we don’t pay, and are attacked by Russia Will you defend us Do you want to protect us?”
He said. Trump said he asked the president before him whether it was “delinquent” with its payment. The president responded, “Yes. Let’s suppose that this took place,” Mr. Trump declared.
“No I will not be protecting the people you love,” Mr. Trump recalls saying. “In fact, I’d urge them to do what they’d like to do. You have to pay. You must make your payments.”
