Washington D.C., Feb 14:
NATO is a sacred commitment for the US, President Joe Biden has said as he slammed predecessor Donald Trump for his recent remarks on the 74-year-old military alliance.
Biden told reporters at a White House news conference on Tuesday, “When America gives its word, it means something. When we make a commitment, we keep it. And NATO is a sacred commitment. Donald Trump looks at this as if it’s a burden.”
“When he looks at NATO, he doesn’t see the alliance that protects America and the world. He sees a protection racket. He doesn’t understand that NATO is built on the fundamental principles of freedom, security, and national sovereignty,” he added.
Speaking at a rally in South Carolina during the weekend, Trump said he would ask NATO allies to increase their defence spending or else encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade those nations.
“You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent? 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 said.
Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s nomination, has called for NATO members to devote two per cent of their gross domestic product on defence.
In response, Biden said, “Because, for Trump, principles never matter. Everything is transactional. He doesn’t understand that the sacred commitment we’ve given works for us as well. In fact, I would remind Trump and all those who would walk away from NATO, Article 5 has only been invoked once, just once in our NATO history, and it was done to stand with America after we were attacked on 9/11.”
“We should never forget it. You know, our adversaries have long sought to create cracks in the alliance,” he added.
Under Article 5 of NATO’s mutual defence clause, all allies commit to help any member who comes under attack.
The article has only ever been invoked once — by the US following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Biden said, “The greatest hope of all those who wish America harm is for NATO to fall apart. And you can be sure that they all cheered when they heard Donald Trump and heard what he said. I know this. I will not walk away. I can’t imagine any other president walking away. For as long as I’m president, if Putin attacks a NATO ally, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
The US president also described those remarks as shameful and “un-American”.
“The former president (Trump) has sent a dangerous and shockingly frankly un-American signal to the world. Just a few days ago, Trump gave an invitation to Putin to invade some of our allies, NATO allies. He said if an ally didn’t spend enough money on defence, he would encourage Russia to, quote, do whatever the hell they want end of quote,” Biden said.
Nikki Haley, Trump’s rival for the Republican presidential nomination, also slammed the former president for his comments.
