Kevin Munoz, the senior spokesperson for the Biden-Harris campaign, issued a statement on former President Donald Trump doubling-down on his comments on NATO during his appearance on Fox News this Tuesday.
Initially, Trump made remarks during his rally in South Carolina stating that the US would not defend any NATO member states failing to meet the required 2% of GDP on military spending, which he reiterated during a segment on Laura Ingraham’s Fox News show.
“Extorting our allies, empowering Putin, and encouraging war is now a staple of Donald Trump’s campaign stump. While Trump threatens to walk away from our NATO allies from the safety of a Fox News studio, the people of Ukraine fight for their own freedom and right to exist with bravery and purpose Trump could never understand — because he only cares about what’s good for Donald Trump. That’s not who the American people are – over 70% of whom stand against Trump’s plan to let Putin “do whatever the hell he wants,”” said Munoz.
During a town hall event in Greenville, South Carolina, Trump recounted an interaction where a leader of a NATO member country asked if the US would protect them if they were attacked by Russia due to unpaid dues. Trump responded,‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’,” said Trump. “No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.”
“Trump is a weak leader – someone who doesn’t understand the power of democracy here at home or across the globe. That’s why he’ll lose again to Joe Biden this November,” Munoz concluded.
