The first interview of the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trumpsince he won the elections a month ago, leaves big warnings for NATO and for Europe. From NBC, he has warned that he would “absolutely” consider leaving the Atlantic alliance if the United States does not receive a “fair treatment” and his allies do not “they pay their bills.”
Trump has stressed that NATO “takes advantage” of the United States for the economic contribution while considering that Europe does not respond with fair trade treatment, a message that he reiterated on several occasions already in his first term, between 2017 and 2021, a period in which he had a tense relationship with the organization. “I got hundreds of billions of dollars into NATO just by being tough. I told countries, ‘I’m not going to protect you unless you pay,’ and they started paying. And that amounted to more than 600,000 million dollarss,” added the magnate, referring to his first term.
NATO, created after World War II and during the Cold War, committed in 2014 to having its members spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defense, something Trump has pushed to achieve, although he has also considered that the ideal percentage It should be 4%.
In the interview he also reaffirms his intention to reduce aid to Ukrainewhich it has supported since the invasion by Russia. “Possibly. Yes, probably, for sure,” he said when asked about this issue, in addition to asking for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
Although it was broadcast this sunday, the interview was conducted before his attendance at lay, therefore, before meeting with the french president, Emmanuel Macronand the Ukrainian, Volodymyr Zelensky. In fact, Trump attended this meeting dressed in a blue suit and yellow tie, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The president-elect has said about this meeting that it was “productive.” After him, the Kremlin responded that it is open to negotiations to reach a deal with Zelensky, although the Ukrainian president has warned that this agreement should guarantee lasting peace.
