Trump's threat: No help for non-paying partners

2024-02-12 10:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Since he was US president, NATO members' defense spending obligations have been Donald Trump's favorite topic. Now he threatens not to defend such countries in case Russia attacks them.

Donald Trump wants to return to the White House this year. In the election campaign of the Republicans in the USA, he is measuring the forces, mocking the rival within the party, such as the competitor Nikki Haley, and urging the Republicans for a blocking policy. Now he turns NATO into his topic again.

At a rally with his supporters in South Carolina on Sunday evening, Trump threatened that non-paying NATO member countries he will not defend if they are attacked by Russia. "The president of a great country" once asked him if the US would protect this country from Russia, even when it does not pay for its defense costs, Trump said. And further, he added that he answered: "No, I would not defend myself." More than that. Trump said he would "encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to do."

It was not clear if such a conversation actually took place, because Republican Trump said, "let's admit it happened."

The White Sheep reacts

The White House responded to Donald Trump's statements and referred to the US government's efforts to strengthen its alliances in the world. "Encouraging the invasion of our closest allies by murderous regimes is shocking and insane," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said. Instead of calling for wars and inciting "chaos from mental problems", US President Joe Biden will "further strengthen the leadership role of the US". The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, strongly criticized Trump's statements, that in the event of his re-election, he will not protect the alliance partners who have not paid. "Any hint that allies will not be protected undermines our overall security, including that of the United States," Stoltenberg stressed in Brussels.

Critical reactions also came from Germany. Green Spokesperson for Foreign Policy, Alliance90/ Greens, Sara Nanni told "Handelsblatt" that Trump has an erratic course. "It turned him into a problem for the alliance even during his presidency." Meanwhile, the liberal politician on defense issues, Marcus Faber, said that Trump is turning into a danger for Germany's security. "We have to prepare now for the result of the November elections", emphasized Faber. "Which specifically means increasing our independence in the arms industry." There were also reactions from Poland. The Polish Minister of Defense, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, said that no election campaign can be taken as an excuse to play with the security of the alliance./ DW