Published March 19, 2024
Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday in an exclusive interview with GB News host Nigel Farage that if he is reelected, the United States will stay in NATO if other nations pay their “fair share.”
Farage said, “You said this back in 2017 and 18 when you were president, you visited Brussels, and you commented that the Russians can do whatever they want if these countries don’t pay. You said it again recently. That’s now being used.”
Trump said, “They can use it, I don’t care if they use it. Because what I’m saying is a form of negotiation. Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money, and the United States was paying for most of NATO? When I went there, I had already had it out with them. They then stopped paying again. But now they’re paying because of those comments that you saw two, three weeks ago. I don’t know if you know, but a lot of money’s come in since those comments were made.”
He continued, “NATO was not paying. I went to the first meeting early in my administration, and I saw what was going on, and I said, ‘You’re going to have to pay your bills, everybody.’ Then, at the second meeting, I hit them hard. The question was then asked by the head of a major country in front of everyone else: ‘So if we don’t pay our bills, are you going to protect us from Russia?’ I said, ‘You mean you’re delinquent? You’re not paying the bills? Then no, I’m not going to pay you. We’re not going to do it. We’re not going to defend you if you’re not paying your bills.’ It’s very simple. And hundreds of billions of dollars came flowing in.”
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SOURCE: www.breitbart.com
RELATED: Trump again conditions US help to NATO allies on their paying ‘fair share’
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures to supporters during a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Georgia, U.S. March 9, 2024…. Purchase Licensing Rights
Published March 20, 2024
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SOURCE: www.reuters.com
RELATED: Trump calls harsh NATO rhetoric ‘a negotiation’
Published March 20, 2024
MIAMI, United States – Donald Trump said Tuesday his remarks downplaying his commitment to NATO were merely a negotiating tactic to get member nations to pay more towards the alliance’s collective defense.
Trump, who is running for reelection, regularly criticizes NATO but launched his most extreme broadside yet in February, saying he would “encourage” Russia to attack members that had not met their financial obligations.
The comments prompted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to urge him not to “undermine” members’ collective security.
The Republican former president’s attitude to NATO came up in an interview on British network GB News, when host Nigel Farage observed that critics had pointed to his Russia remarks to oppose the controversial tycoon’s reelection.
“They can use it — I don’t care if they use it — because what I’m saying is that’s a form of negotiation,” Trump said.
“Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money and the United States was paying for most of NATO?”
