NATO chief slams Trump for encouraging Russia to attack allies

Former US President Donald Trump sparked controversy and criticism when he suggested that he would not defend NATO allies who fail to meet the alliance’s spending target of 2% of their GDP on defence.

During a campaign rally in South Carolina on February 10, 2024, he suggested that Russia should attack certain countries which he believed were not worth protecting.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Trump’s comments, saying they undermined the security of all NATO members, including the US, and put American and European soldiers at increased risk.

He emphasised that any attack on NATO would result in a united and forceful response. He also expects the US to remain a committed NATO ally, irrespective of the presidential election’s outcome 34.

EU officials also dismissed Trump’s comments, who said they were not new and that Europe needed to boost its defence capabilities and sovereignty. They also questioned Trump’s account of a meeting with NATO leaders, saying he had confused the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, with the leader of a “big country”.

Trump’s comments were seen as a continuation of his hostile attitude towards NATO, which he had repeatedly criticised for being obsolete, unfair, and a burden on the US. He had also clashed with NATO allies over trade, climate change, and Iran.

His comments were also seen as a sign of his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he had praised and defended several times.

Trump’s comments provoked a strong reaction from some of the NATO allies, especially those who share a border with Russia or its ally Belarus. Poland, Romania, Hungary, Finland, and the Baltic states spend more than the 2% target on defence and have expressed concern over Russia’s aggression and interference in the region.

They reaffirmed their commitment to NATO and its collective defence principle and urged the US to do the same.

Trump’s comments also raised doubts about the future of the transatlantic relationship, which his policies and rhetoric have strained. Some analysts warned that Trump’s comments could encourage Russia to test NATO’s resolve and cohesion and undermine the credibility and deterrence of the alliance. Others argued that Trump’s comments did not represent the US’s long-standing support for NATO and that the coalition would survive and adapt to its challenges.