Former Republican allies of Donald Trump have attacked him for saying that he would not protect NATO member countries from a possible Russian attack if those countries fell behind on their financial contributions to the pact, Reuters reported.
“That’s why I’ve been saying for a long time that he’s not running for president of the United States,” former presidential candidate Chris Christie said in a televised interview.
At a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump complained about payments from some NATO countries and recounted a past conversation with an unnamed head of a “major country”: “A president of a major country stood up and asked me, ‘Okay, sir, if we don’t pay (more money for defense – ed.) and Russia attacks us, will you defend us?” I answered him: “You won’t pay? Are you a criminal? Not only will I not protect you, but I would encourage Russia in this case to do whatever they want,” Trump told potential voters.
His words were criticized by the White House and other Western officials.
The failure of many NATO countries to meet the defense spending criterion of at least 2 percent of GDP has long been a source of tension with the United States, whose military forms the core of the alliance’s military power, Reuters commented. According to NATO estimates, only 11 out of a total of 31 members cover the level of defense spending.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is Trump’s only remaining challenger for the Republican presidential nomination this year, said: “The last thing we want at all is to side with Russia.” nobody who goes and invades a country and half a million are killed or injured because of Putin’s war on Ukraine.”
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, told Reuters he disagreed with “the way Trump said it”: “Russia didn’t attack anybody when he was president and if he becomes president again, they won’t either.”
Politico reported that Republican Senator Tom Tillis accused Trump aides of failing to explain to Trump that the United States, as a member of NATO, is obligated to defend any member of the pact if attacked. The outlet quoted Republican Sen. Rand Paul as saying Trump’s remarks were “stupid.”
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