Donald Trump once again becoming US president would be the best thing for NATO as it faces threats from many adversaries across the globe, an expert with links to the Pentagon has claimed.
Trump is looking to reclaim the White House in November, and there has been much speculation on how this would affect NATO and its allies’ relationship with non-members.
The Republican nominee has been extremely vocal about his stance on NATO, becoming one of the military alliance’s most prominent critics.
In Febraury, he said if he becomes president again, he would not defend NATO members that don’t meet defense spending targets, warning, “if they’re not going to pay, we’re not going to protect”.
This came just days after he set off alarms in Europe by suggesting he would tell Russia to attack NATO allies he considered delinquent, encouraging Valdimir Putin’s country “to do whatever the hell they want”.
Then, during the presidential debate in June, Joe Biden asked Trump: “You’re going to stay in NATO or you’re going to pull out of NATO?” to which Trump tilted his head in a shrug.
Now, Mike Hewitt, an ex-US Navy Admiral and Pentagon insider, has claimed that this is exactly what NATO needs, especially as threats grow from those who oppose the organisation.
He told the Daily Express: “President Trump has been consistent in his demands that NATO nations must meet the two percent of GDP commitments.
“The result was many more NATO nations increased their spending during the Trump administration. This was very fortuitous to support Ukraine after the invasion by Russia.”
Hewitt pinpointed four countries as the most pressing threats to NATO, and claimed that Trump is “leading the effort” to mitigate these threats.
He said: “Of course now the majority of NATO nations are meeting their two percent commitment because of the reality that NATO is threatened by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.
“Trump is leading the effort to ensure NATO is robust and viable. In fact NATO really wants this leadership and many nations behind the scenes are thanking Donald Trump.”
This comes as support for Biden falters due to concerns over his health, making the reality of a second Trump presidency all the more possible.
European governments are now consulting on what they could do to ensure that NATO, Western support for Ukraine and the security of individual NATO countries will endure should Trump win in November.
Some Americans and Europeans call it “Trump-proofing” NATO — or “future-proofing” it when the political advances of far-right political blocs in Europe are factored in.
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