Donald Trump promised a wave of mass expulsions of migrants if he wins the United States presidency again, and
questioned whether his government would guarantee NATO security against Russia,
during a campaign event in South Carolina.
Trump, who frequently reproaches members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for not adequately funding the alliance, also maintained that
he would refuse to defend any of those countries against Russia
if they were in default. .
The former president referred to a conversation with a leader he did not identify during a NATO meeting.
"The president of a big country stood up and asked, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay and Russia attacks us, would you protect us?' And I said, 'If you didn't pay, you've committed a crime.'" .
"I wouldn't protect it.
In fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever it wants
. It has to pay, it has to pay its bills," Trump emphasized.
The White House rejected those statements.
"Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes
is appalling and deranged
," said spokesman Andrew Bates.
Donald Trump and Angela Merkel during a NATO summit in 2019. AP Photo
"Rather than calling for war and promoting chaos, President Biden will continue to support American leadership," the spokesperson added.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that these statements by Trump
"undermine everyone's security."
"Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines the security of everyone, including that of the United States, and
exposes American and European soldiers to greater risk
," he stressed in a statement.
The United States Senate will debate next week on the aid package
that includes 95 billion dollars for Ukraine
- at war after being invaded by Russia - for Israel's fight against the militants of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and for Taiwan, its strategic ally.
Most of it would go to help Ukraine replenish depleted supplies of ammunition, weapons and other crucial needs as the war approaches two years.
Doubts with Ukraine
On more than one occasion Trump has been doubtful and
even opposed to continuing US assistance to Ukraine
and has even threatened to leave NATO if he returns to the White House.
The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, accused Trump of "serving the interests" of Russian President Vladimir Putin, after threatening yesterday not to protect NATO countries that do not allocate enough money to collective defense.
Michel described these statements by the now Republican candidate for the White House as "reckless" and stressed, without explicitly mentioning Trump, that his words
"do not bring more security or more peace to the world,"
according to the Belgian politician through a message on social network X.
In the opinion of the president of the European Council, Trump's comments question the security of the Atlantic Alliance itself and "the solidarity of Article 5" of the NATO Treaty, which guarantees collective defense in the event that a member of the bloc be attacked militarily by another country.
According to Michel, the words of the former American president "reemphasize the need for the European Union to
urgently develop its strategic autonomy and invest in its defense
," in addition to outlining a plan to "keep NATO strong."
"The Transatlantic Alliance has underpinned the security and prosperity of Americans, Canadians and Europeans for 75 years," added the president of the European Council, the community institution made up of the presidents and prime ministers of the 27 member countries of the EU.
Against migrants
Trump also welcomed the collapse of the bill to address the immigration crisis on the border with Mexico and assured that there will be a massive "deportation operation" from his first day in office.
The abandonment of the bipartisan bill this week in the US Senate highlighted Trump's tight grip on Republicans, denying Democratic President Joe Biden
a victory on the hot-button issue of immigration.
The legislative project also included an additional aid package to Ukraine and Israel, which will now be dealt with separately.
"We crushed corrupt Joe Biden's disastrous open borders bill
," Trump declared at the rally Saturday night.
"On day one I will end all of the Biden administration's open border policies and begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. We have no choice," he said.
At the rally, Trump also made mocking comments about Nikky Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and his rival in the Republican primary in which he is far behind.
"Where is your husband? Oh, he's not there, he's not there!
" she said ironically to highlight that Michael Haley, husband of the Republican candidate, does not accompany her at her electoral events.
"What happened to your husband? What happened to him?" she repeated, making dramatic effects with her tone of voice.
Very distanced from Trump, the former ambassador to the UN responded dryly on the X network.
"Michel is serving his country,
something you know nothing about
. A person who consistently disrespects the sacrifice of military families has nothing to look for as commander in chief," Haley said.
Michel Haley completes one year of military deployment in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa.
He also responded to Trump.
"The difference between humans and animals? Animals would not allow the dumbest among them to lead the pack," he also wrote in X, next to a photo of a wolf.
Source: AP, AFP and EFE
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