Trump would not defend delinquent NATO members

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The White House has reacted to comments by former President Donald Trump indicating he would encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to NATO countries that don't pay their organizational dues.

Trump was speaking at a rally in South Carolina Saturday and reflected on his time as president and how he handled NATO, which he said was "busted" before he took office.

"One of the presidents of a big country stood up," Trump recalled during the rally,

"'Well, sir, if we don't pay and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You didn't pay, you're delinquent.' He said, 'Yes, let's say that happened.' 'No, I would not protect you.' In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills."

The White House said in a statement to The Hill that NATO is the largest and most robust it has ever been, thanks to President Joe Biden, and that Trump's remarks were nothing short of dangerous.

"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," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said.

Trump's comments also drew backlash from some Republicans and other Western officials. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the comments could put the lives of American and European soldiers at greater risk.

Stoltenberg said the alliance "remains ready and able to defend all allies. Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response."

Referring to Senate support of a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine and Israel, Trump said during the South Carolina rally that the U.S. should no longer offer economic assistance to other countries unless it is in the form of a loan.

"Not just a giveaway," Trump posted on his Truth Social channel. "It can be loaned on extraordinarily good terms like no interest and an unlimited life, but a loan nevertheless. The deal should be (contingent!) that the U.S. is helping you, as a nation. But if the country we are helping ever turns against us, or strikes it rich sometime in the future, the loan will be paid off and the money returned to the United States.

The Senate measure comes after a combined deal that tied the foreign aid to border security reform failed, partly because of Trump's opposition to the immigration component, who called the compromise deal a "death with" for the GOP.

"Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill, which only gives Shutdown Authority after 5000 Encounters a day, when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Republicans are not likely to support any immigration and border reform prior to the election as any victory on immigration could be seen as a political victory for Biden, which would not benefit Trump or other Republicans on the campaign trail or, ultimately, at the ballot box.