Once he was safely away from his minders (and German Chancellor Merkel) this past Saturday, Giant Toddler and demagogue Donald "Rump" Trump tweeted his "thoughts" on Germany's "debt" to NATO defense. He actually thinks that our NATO allies pay us to defend them. According to our NATO treaty, by 2024, NATO members need to devote 2% of their budgets to defense; there's no suggestion that any funds go to the U.S. for military "protection." Of course, Rump comes out of a particular business environment (real estate, casinos) where "protection" money is paid / extorted, so it's natural that the buffoon thinks this is the way NATO works, too.
Rump's idiocy prompted a tutorial from former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder:
1/ Sorry, Mr. President, that’s not how NATO works. The US decides for itself how much it contributes to defending NATO. pic.twitter.com/8svkzRBEQb— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
2/ This is not a financial transaction, where NATO countries pay the US to defend them. It is part of our treaty commitment.— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
3/ All NATO countries, including Germany, have committed to spend 2% of GDP on defense by 2024. So far 5 of 28 NATO countries do.— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
4/ Those who currently don’t spend 2% of their GDP on defense are now increasing their defense budgets. That’s a good thing.— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
5/ But no funds will be paid to the US. They are meant to increase NATO’s overall defense capabilities, given the growing Russian threat.— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
6/ Europe must spend more on defense, but not as favor (or payment) to the US. But because their security requires it.— Ivo Daalder (@IvoHDaalder) March 18, 2017
More commentary on Rump's ignorance followed:
I'm beginning to think Trump the former hotelier views NATO as some sort of licensing deal--a country pays to call itself an "ally," right? https://t.co/Va0tfZH7ys— Stephen Sestanovich (@SSestanovich) March 18, 2017
I've worked on NATO issues or studied them for the better part of 30 years, never seen a more ignorant or uninformed comment about it. https://t.co/QnczQx0JSk— Sean Kay (@SeanKay_Rocket) March 18, 2017
So many Trump foreign policy proposals hinge on a threat to be met with extortion to pay someone else to do the thing he proposes.— Kelsey D. Atherton (@AthertonKD) December 16, 2016
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