NATO boss says Donald Trump is putting lives at risk by 'encouraging' Russia to attack

The secretary general of NATO has said that Donald Trump could be putting US and EU lives at risk after the former president admitted he would “encourage” Russia to attack NATO allies.

Trump is the current Republican front-runner and said that, as president, he “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that he said are “delinquent”.

Speaking at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, he stoked World War III fears by ramping up his attacks on foreign aid and longstanding international alliances. The White House called Trump’s words ‘appalling and unhinged’ and argued they ‘promoted dangerous chaos’.

Now, NATO’s secretary general and former Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg has hit back at Trump’s comments, saying any attack would be met with a “united and forceful” response and that “any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.”

At the rally, Trump said: “You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?” He added: “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.”

Donald Trump with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in 2017

In response to his comments, Stoltenberg added: “I expect that, regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally.”

NATO allies agreed in 2014, after Russia annexed Ukraine ’s Crimean peninsula, to halt spending cuts they had made after the Cold War and move toward spending 2% of their GDPs on defence by 2024.

Donald Trump at a rally in South Carolina

Trump’s comments come as Ukraine remains mired in its efforts to stave off Russia’s 2022 invasion and as Republicans in Congress have become increasingly sceptical of providing additional aid money to the country as it struggles with stalled counteroffensives and weapons shortfalls.

In campaign speeches, Trump has remained sceptical of organisations such as Nato, questioning the billions that the US spends on the military alliance whose support has been critical to Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.

The latest comments come as Trump and his team are increasingly confident he will lock up the nomination in the coming weeks following commanding victories in the first votes of the 2024 Republican nominating calendar.

Donald Trump with Vladamir Putin

Earlier Saturday, Trump called for the end of foreign aid “without strings attached”, arguing that the US should dramatically curtail the way it provides money.

“FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, ARE YOU LISTENING U.S. SENATE(?), NO MONEY IN THE FORM OF FOREIGN AID SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ANY COUNTRY UNLESS IT IS DONE AS A LOAN, NOT JUST A GIVEAWAY,” Trump wrote on his social media network in all-caps letters.

The White House called Trump’s words ‘appalling and unhinged’ and argued they ‘promoted dangerous chaos’.

“President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chief’s first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us,” it said.

“Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged – and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home.

“Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests – not against them.”

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