2 ms·

Trump sees it as a cost and says Europeans are not paying their fair share. He has been talking about it for ten years: https://www.factcheck.org/2016/05/whats-

by esafak 2y ago

Trump sees it as a cost and says Europeans are not paying their fair share. He has been talking about it for ten years: https://www.factcheck.org/2016/05/whats-trumps-position-on-nato/ https://www.factcheck.org/2016/05/whats-trumps-position-on-n... I daresay his judgment is informed by his consideration of Russia as closer to an ally than a foe.

FirmwareBurner 2y ago
>Trump sees it as a cost. Which is true since defense money doesn't rain from the sky. Taxpayers on both sides of the atlantic are footing the bill. >He always says Europeans are not paying their fair share. Which is true when you look at per member spending percentages. Mostly Poland and a couple of other members have been meeting their agreed spending targets, but the rest have been slacking. >He has been talking about it for ten years: From your article: "While Trump has gone so far as saying that, as president, he would consider pulling the U.S. out of NATO if it is not restructured, we’ve found no instance of him saying he wants to do so at this point. And the Clinton campaign hasn’t been able to point to an example of Trump saying that either. In fact, it was during the interview with the Post, which initially brought attention to Trump’s feelings about NATO, that Trump said that he doesn’t want the U.S. to leave the alliance."
- throwaway290 2y ago
  It's not about the finances and being late on payment. The finances part is solved easily by politely saying "pay your part please or we gotta evict you". It's about members of supposed "alliance" threatening to roll tanks on each other. > While Trump has gone so far as saying that, as president, he would consider pulling the U.S. out of NATO if it is not restructured, we’ve found no instance of him saying he wants to do so at this point US won't because US needs NATO more than other countries. US is the only country to ever invoke article whatshernumber.
watwut 2y ago
I would argue that this is not the core reason and just an excuse. If it was about paying "fair share" there would be no annexation threats, no economic attacks, none of the rest. And it would not required Trump lying about Ukraine war either.
rat87 2y ago
Russia is a foe because it chooses to be a foe. It won't be an ally for any foreseeable future. Trump doesn't care about cost. And investing in your own military is not the same as paying America. The Baltic countries and Poland have spent a higher then recommended percentage of their gdp on the military and have done more to keep a positive relationship with America but Trump doesn't seem to care

by esafak 2y ago

FirmwareBurner 2y ago

>Trump sees it as a cost. Which is true since defense money doesn't rain from the sky. Taxpayers on both sides of the atlantic are footing the bill. >He always says Europeans are not paying their fair share. Which is true when you look at per member spending percentages. Mostly Poland and a couple of other members have been meeting their agreed spending targets, but the rest have been slacking. >He has been talking about it for ten years: From your article: "While Trump has gone so far as saying that, as president, he would consider pulling the U.S. out of NATO if it is not restructured, we’ve found no instance of him saying he wants to do so at this point. And the Clinton campaign hasn’t been able to point to an example of Trump saying that either. In fact, it was during the interview with the Post, which initially brought attention to Trump’s feelings about NATO, that Trump said that he doesn’t want the U.S. to leave the alliance."

throwaway290 2y ago
It's not about the finances and being late on payment. The finances part is solved easily by politely saying "pay your part please or we gotta evict you". It's about members of supposed "alliance" threatening to roll tanks on each other. > While Trump has gone so far as saying that, as president, he would consider pulling the U.S. out of NATO if it is not restructured, we’ve found no instance of him saying he wants to do so at this point US won't because US needs NATO more than other countries. US is the only country to ever invoke article whatshernumber.

watwut 2y ago

I would argue that this is not the core reason and just an excuse. If it was about paying "fair share" there would be no annexation threats, no economic attacks, none of the rest. And it would not required Trump lying about Ukraine war either.

rat87 2y ago

Russia is a foe because it chooses to be a foe. It won't be an ally for any foreseeable future. Trump doesn't care about cost. And investing in your own military is not the same as paying America. The Baltic countries and Poland have spent a higher then recommended percentage of their gdp on the military and have done more to keep a positive relationship with America but Trump doesn't seem to care