After a storm of outrage over his statement that he would not protect failing NATO allies if re-elected, former President Donald Trump has now defended himself. “I made NATO strong,” Trump wrote on the online service Truth Social on Monday – repeating his controversial statements.
“When I told the 20 countries that had not paid their share that they had to pay or they would not receive US military protection, the money started flowing,” he said.
After the United States had been “footing the bill” for years, this was “a beautiful sight.” “But now that I’m no longer there to say, ‘You have to pay,’ they’re starting over,” the former president continued.
Ex-president not a friend of NATO
Trump, who has a good chance of taking on President Joe Biden in the presidential elections in November, had already accused Europe’s NATO partners in his first term of investing too little money in defense and of seeking protection at the expense of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
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On Saturday, Trump told a rally in the US state of South Carolina about an unspecified meeting with NATO partners: “One of the presidents of a great country stood up and said, ‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia. ‘Will you protect us then?’”. Trump responded by saying that he would not protect the country in this case and would even encourage Russia to do “anything they want” to him.
“Small gaps in memory” with Trump?
EU Commissioner Thierry Breton expressed suspicions to the French broadcaster LCI that Trump may have been referring to a conversation with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and was only talking about the president of a major country because of a “small memory problem.”
According to the news portal ‘Politico’, Breton had recently reported this during a festive event. Trump reportedly said during the 2020 call at the World Economic Forum in Davos: “You have to understand that if Europe is attacked, we will never come to your aid and support – and besides, NATO is dead, and we will leave NATO .”
Excitement over Trump’s statement
Trump’s withdrawal fantasy sparked strong international criticism. US President Joe Biden called Trump’s words “horrific and dangerous.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said that “any downplaying of NATO’s aid guarantee is irresponsible and dangerous.”
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg responded unusually sharply to Trump’s statements this weekend. “Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines our overall security, including that of the United States, and increases the risk to American and European soldiers,” he warned.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
