Haley Says ‘Mistake’ For Trump To Side With Putin Over NATO
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said it was a mistake for former President Donald Trump to say he would abandon NATO members to a Russian incursion if the allies failed to meet defense-spending commitments.
(Bloomberg) -- Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said it was a mistake for former President Donald Trump to say he would abandon NATO members to a Russian incursion if the allies failed to meet defense-spending commitments.
“Do we want NATO to pay more? Of course we do. But the last thing we’re going to do is side with a thug. Keep in mind, Putin kills his opponents,” Haley said Monday in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It is a mistake for Trump to side with Putin over our allies,” added Haley, who is Trump’s last major opponent for the 2024 Republican nomination.
At a rally in South Carolina, Haley’s home state and the next contest in the GOP presidential nominating contest, Trump said that NATO was “busted” until he forced members to “pay up.” He added that when a leader at an unspecified NATO meeting asked if the US would protect them if they were delinquent on spending, Trump responded that he would tell Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to countries not meeting their commitments.
Trump’s comments sparked alarm in Washington and in some world capitals, even as other Republicans, such as Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, sought to downplay them.
“He’s not going to withdraw from NATO. The last thing Russia would do if Trump is president is start a war. He’s just trying to make a point,” Graham said.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio said he had “zero concern” about the remarks and that Trump was “telling a story” to make a point.
Read More: Trump’s Tirade Against NATO Remembered Differently By Europeans
Asked about other Republicans who had defended Trump’s remarks, Haley said the “goal is to make sure you communicate what’s right.”
“We need to make sure that we have an alliance that’s strong. Our whole goal is to prevent war. That’s the main thing. I mean, you look at Russia right now. The reason people should care about Ukraine is because one it’s a pro-American, freedom-loving country,” Haley said. She added that Putin had threatened other countries as well. “This is about preventing war. This is about keeping an alliance strong.”
President Joe Biden called Trump’s comments “appalling and dangerous” in a statement issued by his reelection campaign.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in a statement on Sunday, said the alliance remains “ready and able to defend all allies.” He said he expected that “regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally.”
--With assistance from Annmarie Hordern, Jonathan Ferro and Lisa Abramowicz.
(Updates with additional details, quotes from fourth paragraph)
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