Trump Sets Conditions for Defending NATO Allies

The Republican nominee for US president set off alarm bells in Europe by suggesting he might not quickly aid Baltic States against a Russian attack. Defense might depend whether they “have fulfilled their obligations to us,” Donald Trump said in an interview with the New York Times. “During a 45-minute conversation, Mr. Trump re-emphasized the hard-line nationalist approach that has marked his improbable candidacy, describing how he would force allies to shoulder defense costs that the United States has borne for decades, cancel longstanding treaties he views as unfavorable, and redefine what it means to be a partner of the United States,” report David E. Sanger and Maggie Haberman. Taking a page from Chinese and Russian leaders in criticizing the United States, Trump supports a policy of non-interference in the affairs of other nations: “The United States, he said, has to ‘fix our own mess’ before trying to alter the behavior of other nations” and he would not “lecture,” the article notes. American largesse is no longer affordable, Trump suggested during the interview, and the rest of the world would learn to adjust. The United States led in creating the 28-nation alliance. – YaleGlobal

Trump Sets Conditions for Defending NATO Allies

Presidential candidate suggests that the US can no longer afford to defend allies and that defense of NATO member states might come with conditions
David E. Sanger and Maggie Haberman
Friday, July 22, 2016
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