Former President Donald Trump said Saturday Russia could “do whatever the hell they want” if it attacked a NATO ally that did not pay enough for defenses.
Trump made the comments while speaking to supporters in South Carolina. He recalled a conversation with the president of a “big country”, who has asked for protection if Russia attacked. Trump said he told the leader that the U.S. government would not provide protection if the country didn’t pay for defense spending.
“NATO was busted until I came along,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Everybody’s gonna pay.’ They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ They couldn’t believe the answer.”
“No, I would not protect you,” Trump recalled telling that president. “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.”
The White House responded to Trump’s comments, calling them “appalling and unhinged” and touted President Joe Biden’s efforts to strengthen the alliance.
“President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chief’s first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us. … Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged – and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the US from NATO and complained about the amount other countries in NATO spend on defense compared to the United States.
Trump has described NATO as “obsolete” and has aligned himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who wants to weaken the alliance.
