Donald Trump said that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he 바카라would encourage바카라 Russia 바카라to do whatever the hell they want바카라 to countries that are 바카라delinquent바카라 as the front-runner for the Republican nomination ramped up his attacks on foreign aid and long-standing international alliances. NATO바카라s leader said Trump바카라s words could undermine security and put American and European forces at risk.
Speaking at a rally Saturday in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recounted a story he has told before about an unidentified NATO member who confronted him over his threat not to defend members who fail to meet the trans-Atlantic alliance바카라s defense spending targets.
But this time, Trump went further, saying had told the member that he would, in fact, 바카라encourage바카라 Russia to do as it wishes in that case.
바카라바카라You didn바카라t pay? You바카라re delinquent?바카라바카라 Trump recounted saying. 바카라바카라No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.바카라바카라
NATO allies agreed in 2014, after Russia annexed Ukraine바카라s Crimean Peninsula, to halt the spending cuts they had made after the Cold War and move toward spending 2% of their GDPs on defense by 2024.
NATO바카라s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in a statement Sunday that 바카라any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.바카라 The defense minister in Poland, which has been under Russian control more often than not since the end of the 18th century, 바카라no election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the alliance.바카라
Earlier, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates responded to Trump바카라s comments by saying that 바카라encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged 바카라 and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home.바카라
Trump바카라s remarks come as Ukraine remains mired in its efforts to stave off Russia바카라s 2022 invasion and as Republicans in Congress have become increasingly skeptical of providing additional aid money to the country as it struggles with stalled counteroffensives and weapons shortfalls.
Trump also called for the end of foreign aid 바카라WITHOUT 바카라STRINGS바카라 ATTACHED,바카라 arguing that the U.S. should dramatically curtail the way it provides money.
바카라FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, ARE YOU LISTENING U.S. SENATE(?), NO MONEY IN THE FORM OF FOREIGN AID SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ANY COUNTRY UNLESS IT IS DONE AS A LOAN, NOT JUST A GIVEAWAY,바카라 Trump wrote on his social media network in all-caps letters.
Trump went on to say the money could be loaned 바카라ON EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD TERMS,바카라 with no interest and no date for repayment. But he said that, 바카라IF THE COUNTRY WE ARE HELPING EVER TURNS AGAINST US, OR STRIKES IT RICH SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, THE LOAN WILL BE PAID OFF AND THE MONEY RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES.바카라
During his 2016 campaign, Trump alarmed Western allies by warning that the United States, under his leadership, might abandon its NATO treaty commitments and only come to the defense of countries that meet the alliance바카라s guidelines by committing 2 percent of their gross domestic products to military spending.
Trump, as president, eventually endorsed NATO바카라s Article 5 mutual defense clause, which states that an armed attack against one or more of its members shall be considered an attack against all members. But he often depicted NATO allies as leeches on the U.S. military and openly questioned the value of the military alliance that has defined American foreign policy for decades.
바카라NATO has been a success story for the last 75 years,바카라 said GOP presidential rival Nikki Haley, who was Trump바카라s U.N. ambassador. She told CBS바카라 바카라face the Nation바카라 on Sunday that after the 9/11 attacks, 바카라we needed a lot of friends. We can never get into the point where we don바카라t need friends. Now, we do want NATO allies to pull their weight. But there are ways you can do that without sitting there and telling Russia, have your way with these countries.바카라
As of 2022, NATO reported that seven of what are now 31 NATO member countries were meeting that obligation 바카라 up from three in 2014. Russia바카라s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has spurred additional military spending by some NATO members.
Trump has often tried to take credit for that increase, and bragged again Saturday that, as a results of his threats, 바카라hundreds of billions of dollars came into NATO바카라바카라 even though countries do not pay NATO directly.
