NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg: Trump's Remarks May Put US and EU Lives at Risk

NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on Sunday warned that Russia’s attack on the member states will be met with a “united and forceful response,” after former US President Donald Trump slammed the inadequate funding by EU nations, suggesting that Russia can do “whatever the hell it wants” with NATO. Trump derided the NATO for not meeting their financial obligations and burdening the American taxpayers to fulfil the funding gaps.

During a campaign speech Saturday in Conway, South Carolina, Trump said that Russia can do whatever it wants as NATO countries were lagging behind in their monetary commitment.  "NATO was busted until I came along," Trump said. "I said, ‘Everybody’s gonna pay.' They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?' I said, 'Absolutely not.' They couldn't believe the answer.” 

On question of whether America would protect its allies, Trump said, "No, I would not protect you," Trump recalled telling that country's leader. "In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.”

Trump's comments ‘undermines all of our security’: Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg responded to Trump’s remarks in a statement, 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.” He added, “I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally.”

Trump’s remarks were also condemned by the Polish defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who wrote on X: “Nato’s motto ‘one for all, all for one’ is a concrete commitment.” “Undermining the credibility of allied countries means weakening the entire Nato. No election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the alliance,” he added. EU internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, also slammed Trump during interview with French TV channel LCI. Trump’s take on NATO’s military spending is not new. “We have heard that before … Nothing new under the sun,” he stressed. He continued that EU has focused on boosting its own military spending and defence of sovereignty. “We cannot flip a coin about our security every four years depending on this or that election, namely the US presidential election,” he said.