Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally ahead of the Republican caucus in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., January 27, 2024. REUTERS/Ronda Churchill/File Photo
Washington, United States 鈥斅燜ormer US president Donald Trump defended his record on NATO Monday, saying he had made it 鈥渟trong鈥� after sparking a firestorm of criticism over comments downplaying his commitment to the alliance.
Trump was rebuked from all sides after saying in a speech Saturday that he would 鈥渆ncourage鈥� Russia to attack members of NATO who had not met their financial obligations, in his most extreme broadside against the organization.
搁贰础顿:听Nato leader: Trump put allies at risk over Russia remark
鈥淚 MADE NATO STRONG, and even the RINOS and Radical Left Democrats admit that,鈥� Trump said on Truth Social Monday, using an acronym deployed by conservatives for critics within their own party: Republicans in Name Only.
鈥淲hen I told the 20 Countries that weren鈥檛 paying their fair share that they had to PAY UP, and said without doing that you will not have US Military Protection, the money came rolling in. After so many years of the United States picking up the tab, it was a beautiful sight to see.鈥�
Trump has long complained about NATO, accusing Western allies of being freeloaders who do not pull their weight on military spending, taking for granted that they can rely on the US as a defensive shield.
But he repeatedly demonstrated during and after his time in office that he either doesn鈥檛 understand how NATO works or is unwilling to speak accurately about it.
搁贰础顿:听Biden slams Trump鈥檚 鈥榓ppalling and dangerous鈥� NATO comments
In 2006, NATO countries made a vague commitment 鈥� formalized in 2014 鈥� to spend two percent of their gross domestic product on their own defense, but members do not pay subscription fees and do not 鈥渙we鈥� the alliance money for defense.
The two percent benchmark is voluntary, and there are no penalties enshrined in NATO鈥檚 founding treaty for falling short.
Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump had described what he said was a conversation with a fellow head of state at an unspecified NATO meeting.
鈥淥ne of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 鈥榃ell, sir, if we don鈥檛 pay, and we鈥檙e attacked by Russia, will you protect us?鈥� I said, 鈥榊ou didn鈥檛 pay, you鈥檙e delinquent? No, I would not protect you,'鈥� Trump told his supporters.
鈥淚n fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.鈥�
President Joe Biden slammed the comments as 鈥渁ppalling and dangerous,鈥� warning that his predecessor, who is running for reelection, intended to give Russian leader Vladimir Putin 鈥渁 greenlight for more war and violence.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 remarks came after Senate Republicans last week rejected a bipartisan bill that would have included $60 billion in funding for Ukraine, plus aid for ally Israel, along with reforms to address the US-Mexico border crisis.
A foreign aid package that includes the Kyiv support but decouples the funding from the border issue entirely passed a key procedural vote in the US Senate on Sunday. However, Republicans are still expected to block it from becoming law.