New York, Feb 11: Republican front-runner Donald Trump said Saturday that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are “delinquent” as he ramped up his attacks on foreign aid and longstanding international alliances. Speaking at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recounted a story he has told before about an unidentified NATO member who confronted him over his threat not to defend members who fail to meet the trans-Atlantic alliance’s defense spending targets. But this time, Trump went further, saying had told the member that he would, in fact, “encourage” Russia to do as it wishes in that case.
“You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?’” Trump recounted saying. “No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.’” NATO allies agreed in 2014, after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, to halt the spending cuts they had made after the Cold War and move toward spending 2% of their GDPs on defense by 2024.
Trump’s comments come as Ukraine remains mired in its efforts to stave off Russia’s 2022 invasion and as Republicans in Congress have become increasingly skeptical of providing additional aid money to the country as it struggles with stalled counteroffensives and weapons shortfalls. They also come as Trump and his team are increasingly confident he will lock up the nomination in the coming weeks following commanding victories in the first votes of the 2024 Republican nominating calendar. Earlier Saturday, Trump called for the end of foreign aid “WITHOUT “STRINGS” ATTACHED,” arguing that the U.S. should dramatically curtail the way it provides money.
Haley tells Trump to ‘say it to my face’
Former President Donald Trump on Saturday questioned why Nikki Haley’s husband wasn’t on the campaign trail, drawing sharp responses from both the former UN ambassador and her husband, who is currently abroad on a National Guard mission.
“What happened to her husband?” Trump told a crowd in Conway, South Carolina, as he and Haley held events across the state ahead of its February 24 Republican primary. “Where is he? He’s gone. He knew. He knew.” Responded Haley in a post on X, “Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about.” It’s the latest example of Trump disparaging his opponents based on their US military service, going back to his questioning of whether the late Senator John McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was a hero because Trump liked “people who weren’t captured”.
Throughout his political career, Trump has been accused of disregarding longstanding norms on avoiding attacking current or past service members or people in a politician’s family.
Michael Haley began a yearlong stint in June with the South Carolina Army National Guard. Haley is being deployed as a staff officer with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, which the National Guard says is providing support in the Horn of Africa. (AP)
