Donald Trump has said he would 'encourage' Russia to attack any NATO member that fails to pay its bills, sparking global security alarm. The former US president made the remarks at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, recalling a conversation with a leader of a 'big country' who asked if the US would defend it if it were delinquent in payments and came under attack from Moscow.
Trump said he told the leader: 'You didn't pay? You're delinquent? ... No I would not protect you, in fact I would encourage them to do whatever they want. You gotta pay.' The comments come as Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, has long criticised NATO for what he sees as an excessive financial burden on the United States.
The White House called the remarks 'appalling and unhinged', warning that they endanger American national security, global stability and the economy. A spokesman said Trump was 'encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes'.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg responded that 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 expressed confidence that regardless of the US election outcome, the US will remain a strong NATO ally.
Dr Patrick Bury, a defence and security expert and former NATO analyst, told the BBC that Trump's comments reflect US anger that some European NATO countries are not spending 2% of their budget on the military, as agreed. But he said such statements are dangerous at a time when Russia has put its economy on a war footing and its military spending outstrips European countries.
Trump has also bemoaned the amount of US money sent to Ukraine, which is not a NATO member. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the US has provided Ukraine with more than $44bn (£34bn) in financial support. However, Republicans in Congress have blocked new funding, a rejection that Trump celebrated at the rally.
