Chicago – February 11, 2023
Donald Trump’s warning that the US would not protect Nato partners because they did not spend enough money on defense “undermines all of our security,” according to the Western military alliance’s commander.
Jens Stoltenberg also stated that it put US and European troops in greater danger.
The Republican stated that he had told allies that he would “encourage” Russia to attack any NATO member that did not meet the alliance’s 2% GDP target.
Nato members promise to defend any nation in the group that is attacked.
President Joe Biden condemned Mr Trump’s comments as “appalling and dangerous,” implying that his predecessor wanted to give Russian President Vladimir Putin “a green light for more war and violence.”
Mr Trump told supporters at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday that he made his remarks on Russia during an earlier meeting of Nato leaders.
The former president recalled that the leader of a “big country” had proposed a hypothetical scenario in which he was not meeting his financial obligations within NATO and was being attacked by Moscow.
He claimed the leader had inquired if the United States would help his country in that event, prompting him to issue a warning.
