GOP senators blast Trump over NATO remarks
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has come under criticism from GOP senators for suggesting that he may not defend NATO allies if they are attacked.
In an interview with the New York Times on Wednesday, the real estate mogul said that if he is elected president, the US would only aid the allies who have “fulfilled their obligations to us.”
“Statements like these make the world more dangerous and the United States less safe," said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who dropped his own presidential bid in December of last year.
“I can only imagine how our allies in NATO, particularly the Baltic States must feel after reading these comments from Mr. Trump. I’m 100 percent certain how Russian President Putin feels — he’s a very happy man," Graham, a member of the Armed Services and Appropriations Committee, added.
He called on Trump to "correct" his statements on Thursday night, when the Republican National Convention will address the issue of national security.
"If Mr. Trump is serious about wanting to be Commander in Chief, he needs to better understand the job which is to provide leadership for the United States and the free world," he said.
NATO has been deploying troops and military equipment on its eastern frontier with Russia ever since cutting ties with Moscow in 2014.
Asked about Russia’s possible military response to NATO’s military buildup, Trump said America might abandon a guarantee of protection to such countries.
This is while NATO members have signed a treaty that says an attack on one member state is an attack on all and that other states should come to aid of any member that comes under attacks.
“Our friends should draw strength and our adversaries should take pause from this simple fact: Americans keep our word,” said Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who is a staunch critic of the New York businessman.
Throughout his primary run, Trump repeatedly questioned ties with NATO, calling on its members to either pay up for Washington’s support or spend more on their own security.
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