Trump says ‘ridiculous’ for US to maintain current support for NATO

n n

File image.

n

President Donald Trump said Thursday it is “ridiculous” for the United States to continue its “one sided” relationship with NATO, less than a week before a NATO summit in Ankara.

n

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “They were not there for us!!!” and Washington’s relationship with NATO “is not reciprocal.”

n

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at European allies over their response to the war in Iran, as several countries restricted the use of bases for US forces.

n

Trump also insists he wants Europe to take the lead role for its own defense, and Washington has already moved to scale back commitments.

n

His Truth Social post on Thursday included a chart displaying the amount of NATO spending, with the United States investing vastly more than a few other member states depicted.

n

Under pressure from Trump, NATO leaders had agreed at a gathering last year to boost defense-related spending to five percent of GDP by 2035.

n

The upcoming NATO summit, which will bring together 32 member states, will be held in the Turkish capital on July 7-8.

n

The alliance, founded in 1949, became a US-led defense force credited with maintaining stability in Europe, keeping the Soviet Union at bay and solidifying Washington as a world power for decades to come.

n n