Trump is getting a rare acknowledgment of his successful NATO strategy, widely condemned by his critics. In a recent interview, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he had worked with Trump throughout his presidency, and the former President “had a very clear message” that European allies needed to pay their fair share to the alliance. “And I agree with him,” Stoltenberg said.
Trump and President Joe Biden both highlight the record number of NATO countries meeting their 2% defense spending commitments as major successes during their presidencies.
Trump claimed he pressured NATO allies to increase spending while he was president. The number of countries meeting their spending commitments went up from five in 2016 to nine in 2020 but dropped to six after he left office in 2021.
However, this year saw the most significant increase in NATO defense spending, with 23 out of 32 countries meeting their financial agreements for the first time.
While the Biden administration is claiming victory, Trump’s campaign says that the war in Ukraine is the main reason for this rise in European defense spending.
In contrast, Stoltenberg says that Former President Trump clearly stated that the European allies had to pay more. He added that Trump’s message has been carried throughout Biden’s presidency and “has had an impact.”
In an interview with John Roberts, the co-anchor of “America Reports,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he believes Trump deserves credit for pushing the 2% defense spending limit. He pointed out that 2014 only three NATO allies met that target. By 2018, the number had increased to about ten. Now, 23 countries are meeting the limit.
Stubb questioned whether this progress would have happened without Trump’s pressure or the current circumstances. “Probably not,” Stubb said.
Several international officials expressed worry this week that the 2% spending commitments made nearly 20 years ago no longer meet the real needs of NATO, especially with rising threats from countries like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said NATO members need to see the challenges ahead but not let fear stop them. He cautions that their choices will determine the future of Ukraine, Europe, and the alliance. He emphasized that Ukrainians understand how serious this war is.
He also pointed out that most countries deal with problems they create themselves. He notes the need to change the peacetime mindset and make defense spending match the global threats faced by each NATO country.
At a news conference following the NATO summit, Biden told reporters that none of his European allies had told him not to run for office. Instead, they keep saying he needs to win because Trump would “be a disaster.”
Alex, we’ll take “things that never happened” for $600.
When Fox News asked what allied nations think of the U.S. presidency, Stoltenberg said that NATO is the most successful alliance ever because it has stayed out of domestic politics. He stated that NATO won’t take a position on who gets elected as the next president or prime minister in any allied country.
U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey mentioned that 23 of 32 countries are now meeting the 2% spending target and aiming for 2.5%. However, Healey cautioned that all NATO countries must do better than 2% given the rising threats and global instability.
Unsurprisingly, China and Russia are at the center of escalating global tensions. Stoltenberg noted that Russia is getting a lot of support from China, North Korea, and Iran. These two countries want the U.S. and NATO to fail in Ukraine because it would not only be a victory for Putin but also for China and other hostile nations.
He said that NATO countries should ensure “consequences” for China for helping Russia. According to Stoltenberg, China “can’t have it both ways.” They can’t maintain a normal, friendly trading relationship with European and NATO countries while also being the biggest supporters of the largest war in Europe since World War II.
During the disastrous presidential debate in late June, Biden stoked fears that Trump would withdraw from NATO. For his part, Trump’s refusal to answer spoke volumes about a potential withdrawal.
Trump has complained about how much more the United States pays to be part of NATO than other countries. Biden has faulted him for his stance, even though he championed it in 1997.
As a senator, Biden warned that warned that if NATO allies continued to “take the United States for suckers,” its fate would be at stake. Trump may not even be aware that his pet project, NATO compliance, was once championed by Biden.
