According to Donald Trump, he would incite Russia to strike NATO partners who make insufficient payments

According to Donald Trump, he would incite Russia to strike NATO partners who make insufficient payments

'Disconnected' remarks made by a past president and possible Republican contender in 2024, according to the White House

As a prospective Republican candidacy for president in 2024, Donald Trump has said that he would "encourage" Russia to attack any NATO member that it feels has not fulfilled its financial responsibilities.

The remarks were deemed "appalling and indecent" by the White House. Trump said as much on Saturday at a Conway, South Carolina, campaign event. The state's Republican presidential primary is scheduled on February 24.

The former president has voiced doubts about both the future of NATO, the 31-nation organization that the US may enter if necessary, and about assistance for Ukraine as it fights itself against an invasion initiated by Russia in February 2022. devoted to protecting.

On Saturday, Trump said that he informed a fellow head of state that the US would not support any "criminal" nation when attending an unidentified NATO summit.

"One of the presidents of a major countries stood up and said, 'Okay do you want to if we don't pay, and we are attacked by Russia, will you protect us?'" stated Trump. 'You didn't pay, are you a criminal?' I asked.

"No, I'm not going to shield you. To be honest, I would say let them do anything they want. You have to pay. You must settle your debts."

"Encouraging attacks on our most important partners by a murderous regime is appalling as unjustifiable – and it threatens American national security, global stability, and our financial security at home," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in response to a question about Trump's remarks. puts you in danger."

Following Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine, NATO members decided in 2014 to reverse post-Cold War budget cutbacks and shift toward allocating 2% of their GDP on defense by 2024.

In the midst of his campaign in 2016, Trump alarmed partners in the West by threatening to renounce NATO treaty obligations and only defend nations who comprise 2% of the alliance during his presidency. Reach and surpass the goal.

NATO said that, as of 2022, seven of the 31 member nations were fulfilling their commitment, compared to only three in 2014. Some NATO nations have decided to increase their military budget in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump's remarks coincide with the fact that Republicans in Congress are hesitant to provide Ukraine further help as it struggles with a delayed response and a scarcity of armaments, and as the nation is stuck in its attempts to thwart Russia's invasion in 2022. It was once.

Many US political commentators expressed instant worry about Trump's remarks on Saturday.

Mother Jones' Washington, DC bureau director and MSNBC commentator David Corn tweeted, "Looks like Trump is pushing Russia to attack our NATO allies."

Alyssa Farrah Griffin, a conservative political pundit, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "music" to hear about Trump's remarks.

The former president also praised the latest Congressional legislation's passing on Saturday, which aims to alleviate the border migrant problem between the United States and Mexico. Democratic incumbent Joe Biden supported the measure, and on his first day in office, Trump promised to launch a "massive deportation campaign" if re-elected.

In public surveys, Trump is outperforming Biden, the former president whom Biden beat in the 2020 race. He is, however, charged with over ninety-nine crimes.

The accusations, which are included in four distinct indictments in several jurisdictions, state that he unlawfully harassed a porn star, unlawfully kept government secrets after leaving office, and attempted to rig the election results that he lost. supposedly gave hush money to a person claiming to have had sex. having a meeting with Trump.