The former President of the United States has often portrayed NATO as a military alliance that thrives on American generosity.
Donald Trump said Thursday (April 21) that as president he had threatened NATO allies not to come to their defense in the event of an attack from Russia unless they provided the alliance with more resources, he said in a bluff strategy.
Also readNew York prosecutor attacks Trump for ‘obstructing’ his investigation into tax evasion
Both during his campaign and in the White House, Donald Trump has often portrayed NATO as a military alliance that thrives on American generosity. The Republican, who has consistently praised his qualities as a negotiator, said it was a bluff to get concessions. Article 5 of the NATO treaty obliges members to protect any country in the alliance that would be attacked.
“We defend Europe and at the same time they tear us down”
But at a summit, Donald Trump suggested that the treaty would not be honored because “everyone was dead.” “One of the presidents asked me, ‘Does that mean you won’t protect us if we don’t pay? They won’t protect us from Russia?” Donald Trump reported during an event hosted by the conservative Heritage Foundation. “I said: That’s exactly what it means.” “If I said ‘No, that’s not what I meant’, why would they have paid?” he said during his speech, which was broadcast by conservative media RSBN.
The billionaire said he was “stunned” that this threat was never revealed by the media. Donald Trump has often criticized NATO and other longstanding American alliances, arguing that the United States is spending too much money defending these countries, which he sees as rivals rather than partners. “We are defending Europe and at the same time they are ripping us off, they are ripping us off very, very seriously,” he said on Thursday evening.
Also readDonald Trump says he would have liked to blend in with the crowd on the day the Capitol was attacked
Donald Trump is also often accused of a complacent attitude towards Vladimir Putin. In February, the Kremlin’s master’s invasion of Ukraine, a non-NATO country, sparked a massive response from Washington and its European allies.
SEE ALSO – War in Ukraine: Trump criticizes the ‘stupid’ westerners against the ‘intelligent’ Putin