Trump on Nato: Dangerous talk at a dangerous time

BBC ^ | 11 Feb 2024 | Frank Gardner

[Chad C. Mulligan]

And so it begins. Nine months still to go before the next US presidential election and already the Republican party favourite and former President Donald Trump is sending eyebrows and blood pressure skywards in Nato capitals with his provocative statements.

And yet they will delight many of his supporters.

Suggesting at a rally in South Carolina that he would "encourage" aggressors (for example Russia) "to do whatever the hell they want" with Nato countries that fail to pay their dues has prompted an immediate condemnation from the White House. A spokesman called the comment "appalling and unhinged", saying it was "encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes".

Nato Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has also responded forcefully, saying: "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk."

Did Trump mean what he said? Probably not. This is typical Trump fare. Say something provocative, grab some headlines, outrage your critics and thrill your fans.

Yet ironically, there is a grudging gratitude in some quarters of Nato for Mr Trump's threats when he was in the White House. Back in 2018, President Trump was so angered by the failure of several European nations to fulfil their agreed quota of spending 2% of GDP on defence that he threatened to pull the US out of the alliance altogether.

Military chiefs throughout Nato were aghast. If a US president ever went through with such a threat, abandoning Europe to fend for itself, it would so severely undermine the alliance that it would cease to exist in its present form.

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Much as I support Trump - (voted for him twice) - this gives me cold chills. Does he really think he can ignore history? Does he not KNOW post-war European history?

He may be doing this to get a rise out of European leaders, but he's also winding up the isolationist lunatic fringe, such as will shortly be shite-posting this thread. Bad ju-ju Donald.

[PGR88]

Pro-Ukraine Chad is butthurt by Trump’s trolling

[BobL]

NATO bash Trump - Trump BASHES NATO. Best that NATO stay in its lane regarding the US Presidential Election, something that even little Israel FULLY understands.

[BobL]

“Pro-Ukraine Chad is butthurt by Trump’s trolling”

LOL, obviously!

[Fester Chugabrew]

It seems counterintuitive to think of Russia as an ally, but that might just be what we’re up against. Satan is the boogey man, a master of lies. But no master of history or truth.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

Does he not KNOW post-war European history?

Have you thought about your next propaganda effort after Project Ukraine fails?

[Preachin']

Nato NATO

[TornadoAlley3]

He wanted the media to spend Sunday talking about him. Because talking about Biden’s dementia was too much for his campaign?

[Terry L Smith]

its time for ‘nato’ to be NATO!

not, AMERICA, (with european nato countries)).

its their soil, their homes, not CONUS.

[Reverend Wright]

“... abandoning Europe to fend for itself, it would so severely undermine the alliance that it would cease to exist in its present form. “

---

If only !

[JoSixChip]

Does he not KNOW post-war European history?

You mean where we give them everything and pay for their security and they do absolutely nothing but bitch about us? That history?

[Gaffer]

And so.......say, Biden, telling us that if we didn't give Ukraine money he'd have our sons and daughters over fighting the Russians in Europe isn't dangerous talk? It must be really something of a self-shocker to be on the same side as Biden, McConnell, Nuland, NATO war mongers, The global MIC, UN et al. If it were me, I'd be doing some very serious introspection here.

[Kazan]

NATO, not Russia or China, is the greatest threat to world security.

It's vessel for globalists and the defense industry to make money, not an organization to protect the national security of the countries it represents.

[Jim Robinson]

It was not just a suggestion. It was something he already did — in his first term.

[Codeflier]

Exactly. Time for the NATO boondoggle to steal from the American middle class to be terminated once and for all.

[TalBlack]

I read the excerpt. Didn’t bother reading further as I noticed they chopped up what he said and spun bits he may not have said. (Yeah journalists can do that).

[rottndog]

We don’t need to be subsidizing European socialism anymore.

The US saved Europe from itself THREE TIMES the last century, and it looks like they want us to do it again.

No thanks.

[M. Thatcher]

He wanted the media to spend Sunday talking about him

When have they not?

Good grief.

[dfwgator]

Whatever.

[dfwgator]

Europe will always be there for us, when she needs us.