Trump: I’ll encourage Russia to do whatever it wants to any country in NATO that doesn’t pay enough

Former US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell it wants” to any NATO member state that “doesn’t pay enough to the alliance’s budget”.

“I did the same thing to NATO, and I made them pay,” Trump said, speaking during a rally in Conway, South Carolina… NATO was bankrupt until I came along… You said everyone will pay… They said, “Well, if we don’t pay, will you still protect us?” I said not at all… “They couldn’t believe the response”.

He added: “One of the heads of a large country stood up and said, Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we are attacked by Russia, will you protect us?” I said, you didn’t pay, you’re late. “Yes, suppose that happened,” Trump said, No, I’ll not protect you… In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want… You have to pay… (then) the money flowed in”.

While it is true that most NATO countries have not met the alliance’s goal of each country spending at least 2% of GDP on defense affairs, 2% is what NATO calls a guideline.

It’s not a binding contract. It does not establish obligations, and in this sense NATO members have not failed to pay their share of the common budget.

It should be noted that NATO countries’ spending began to increase in the last two years of the administration of former US President Barack Obama, after the Crimean Peninsula joined Russia in 2014.

NATO stated on its website that 2022 was the eighth consecutive year of rising defense spending across European allies and Canada.

The White House later Saturday called Trump’s comments appalling and praised President Joe Biden’s efforts to strengthen NATO.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates said, “Encouraging attacks on our closest allies, is horrific and disturbing, and puts American national security, global stability, and our economy at home at risk”.