Posted on 03/07/2025 2:23:19 PM PST by Cronos
“We have an interesting deal with Japan, that we have to protect them, but they don’t have to protect us…. who makes these deals?” he said, adding that Japan “makes a lot of money,” referring to the trade deficit with Japan.
The security agreement, last revised in 1960, also allows the U.S. to establish and use military bases on Japanese soil. As a result of the treaty, the United States received a kind of outpost in deterring the communist bloc during the Cold War, and continues to be vital for countering threats from China and North Korea.
Trump also questioned the reliability of NATO, specifically France’s commitment to come to the aid of the U.S. in the event of a military threat.
“If the United States was in trouble and we called them. We said, ‘We got a problem, France.’ Do you think they’re gonna come and protect us? Hmm. They’re supposed to. I’m not so sure,” he said, casting doubt on NATO’s collective defense obligations.
However, in NATO’s history, the principle of collective defense has been invoked only once, specifically to defend the United States, which became the target of terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Less than 24 hours after the attacks, the allies invoked the principle of Article 5 of the Alliance’s charter, actively engaged in the fight against terrorism, and launched their first operations outside the Euro-Atlantic area.
(Excerpt) Read more at mil.in.ua ...
Does this mean tariffs against Japan? Or get them to buy more American products and services?
We are in a new age with President Trump: the age of Common Sense. Remember?
Reciprocity is a principle that PDJT is applying across the
board.
The security umbrella must be mutual, or else they will have to pay us for is to defend them?
Makes sense to me.
Our boys and girls fight and die for other nations for free?
Excellent idea.
Is the male reporter who wrote this article wearing a dress and a blond wig?
Same comments he made last term. He wants everyone to provide for their own defense. Japan wasn’t allowed to do that as a result of losing the war. Now the times are changing.
Time for Japan to commit to reciprocate defense obligations.
I don’t think the source is very reputable.
I’m not disputing Trump said or says such things, but this seems wholly out of context and suspicious.
He’s the Commander in Chief.
He can make, or change, or do away with any commitments, as he sees fit.
Elections have consequences. Eat your peas.
Yet another attempt by TPTB to make it seem that PDJT isn’t really the President. There’s some other President somewhere that should step in any bring PDJT to heel.
As you said:
Trump’s questioning of “who makes these deals” echoes his long-standing criticism of asymmetrical alliances, a theme he revisited during his first term and on the campaign trail last year. He has frequently argued that U.S. allies, including Japan and NATO members, benefit disproportionately from American military protection without adequate reciprocity, either militarily or financially.
He isn’t bailing on any military alliance, as the democrats suggest.
America has the biggest military.
America has the strongest economy.
And America has let the world walk all over it for longer than I’ve been alive.
Trump is using that military power, and that economic power, as leverage to tell the world “Let’s play a new game.”
> I don’t think the source is very reputable. <
Agreed. Out of curiosity I looked it up. Militarnyi is Ukrainian news site that covers military matters. So neutral observers they are not.
But then again, how many news sites these days truly are neutral?
🤔
Very odd considering Japan has actually committed to substantially increase defence spending before this, and didn’t need any of Trump’s arm-twisting to ramp up defence spending.
I get that many MAGA fanboys hate ‘euroweenies’ and want to focus on the Pacific but what are they going to think of Trump sabotaging America’s most fundamental security interests in the Asia-Pacific?
Trump’s bizarre and surprising agreement to go along with Starmer’s surrender of the Chagos and Diego Garcia to China ally Mauritius despite the intense opposition of both American and British conservatives is starting to appear even MORE suspect.
He’s the Commander in Chief.
“He can make, or change, or do away with any commitments, as he sees fit.
Elections have consequences. Eat your peas.
Yet another attempt by TPTB to make it seem that PDJT isn’t really the President. There’s some other President somewhere that should step in any bring PDJT to heel.”
____________________________________________________________
No president can independently make or break treaties if they’ve been ratified by the senate. NATO and our Japanese military assistance are the result of treaties.
Once again lies and fake news. What is not said, is Trump questioned the capacity of NATO and Japan to aid in our defense, Trump also pointed out that our treaty with Japan says we will defend them but they do not have to defend us, literally insane as a treaty between two nations.
NATO has no teeth outside the US Military. Militarily NATO offers the US nothing.
As a soft power exercise it would be fine but the NATO nations no longer share our values and have become oppressive tyrannical regimes, destroying freedom of speech and religion and importing Islam in droves. They now have a two tiered justice systems that extract harsher penalties on straight whites and less punishment on favored minorities for the same crime and everyone knows about the rape gangs ignored in the UK because they refuse to hold Muslims accountable.
We no longer share a common culture or values and being tied to NATO only gives those countries opportunities to weaken and tear us down.
It is time to exit NATO
The problem is Japan does not have the demographics though they might have the finances at least for a while
When was the quote concerning Japan?
1990?
This sure looks like Uke propaganda.
This is one of those cringy moments when I wish there was someone there to keep Trump on script.
“I get that many MAGA fanboys...Trump’s bizarre and surprising agreement...”
fanboys???? bizarre and suprising????
Screw you and the horse you rode in on, prick.
Trump said nothing wrong
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