Anyone who thinks that Donald Trump (77) is joking when he insinuates that the United States will leave NATO is seriously mistaken. This is what John Bolton (75), the former advisor to the American ex-president, says in an interview with news site ‘Politico’. “He takes the idea of withdrawing from the alliance very seriously,” it said.
During a campaign rally, Donald Trump said last Saturday that Russia can “do whatever it wants” with NATO countries that are lagging behind in their financial and military contributions to the alliance. The statements quickly caused a commotion. Critics say Trump encouraged Russian President Vladimir Putin to attack allies of the United States in Europe.
Excuse
According to John Bolton, Trump’s former adviser, the ex-president’s threats are not just empty words. “I was there when he almost left NATO in 2018 during a meeting of member states,” he says. “So each of those comments, as he’s been making them for over six years now, just reinforces to me that he’s taking the idea of withdrawing from NATO very seriously,” Bolton said.
“When Trump complains about NATO allies not spending enough on defense, he is not doing so to strengthen the alliance. He’s just using it as an excuse to get out,” he said.
LOOK. Trump said on Saturday that Russia “can do whatever it wants” with NATO countries that do not spend enough on defense
“Catastrophic”
The US Congress recently adopted new measures that should make it more difficult for a president to decide on his own to leave an alliance. However, according to Bolton, that will not stop Trump. “It has happened repeatedly throughout American history,” he points out. “Congress doesn’t like it, but according to constitutional logic, such a decision lies entirely in the hands of the president.”
Bolton warns that the US’s departure from NATO would have major consequences. “It could even mean the end of the alliance. We are the leaders of NATO, and what would be left would be the remains of some kind of EU-like structure,” he said. “It would also be catastrophic for US credibility in the world. If we are prepared to throw NATO overboard, no American alliance is safe anymore,” the former advisor concludes.
Bolton is not in favor of Trump’s re-election. He recently called Trump an egocentric and inept politician who is incapable of becoming president again. “World leaders think he is a laughing fool,” said the former advisor.
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