A White House spokesperson put it the best, I think:

The White House spokesperson Andrew Bates, when asked about Trump’s comments, 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.”

What’s so insane about all this is that Trump saying something like that out loud means it’s now practically gospel to the vast majority of GOP voters, and might as well be official party policy.

  • Riddick3001
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    4 months ago

    The bot missed what Stoltenberg said:

    "The Nato chief, Jens Stoltenberg, has said any attack on the western military alliance would be met with a “united and forceful response”, after Donald Trump invited Russia to attack member countries that he perceived as not meeting their financial obligations.

    Stoltenberg said in a statement: “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. I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed Nato ally.”

    • Bipta
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      604 months ago

      I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed Nato ally.

      Well, he obviously shouldn’t.

      • @hydropticOP
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        504 months ago

        He has to say that, though. Saying “if Trump wins, Nato is hosed” wouldn’t sound as, well… resolute

  • Bipta
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    434 months ago

    Trump already killed hundreds of thousands of Americans during COVID.

    So if you think he gives a fuck about Europeans…

    • @hydropticOP
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      4 months ago

      This isn’t what not giving a fuck looks like. He clearly gives enough of a fuck to lie about this stuff publicly

  • @nevemsenki@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Europe would do well to become military self-sufficient. Of course once they are, there’s not much reason to keep US forces in their territory either, so I’m not sure how much the US really wants that.

    • @hydropticOP
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      604 months ago

      The idea that Europe isn’t militarily self-sufficient is, frankly, horseshit. The US just has such an incredibly outsized military that anything will look “insufficient”

      • @nevemsenki@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        We can’t supply Ukraine with enough weapons… or even munitions, as the self-pledged 1mill 155mm shells will be only halfway met (hopefully). The few self-designed combat aircrafts we have are painfully mediocre (Eurofighter, Gripen, Rafale…).

        Definitely don’t think we would fare any way decently in an actual war without US backing nowadays.

        • @stephen01king@lemmy.zip
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          494 months ago

          Being able to supply another country with weapons and ammunition while keeping enough stock for your own military is not the definition of a self-sufficient military, though?

          • @nevemsenki@lemmy.world
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            -164 months ago

            If we were able to succesfully do so, I would agree with that. We aren’t succeeding in supplying enough to keep Ukraine in the game right now, though.

            • @grue@lemmy.world
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              304 months ago

              The point is that having any ammo left over for Ukraine at all – let alone “enough” – is literally the definition of more than self-sufficient.

              • @meat_popsicle@sh.itjust.works
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                4 months ago

                If you use 0 bullets in a hot-war of your own, but can’t provide a wartime amount to another country with the help of allies that means you cannot provide enough for yourself during a true homeland crisis.

                Euroland focused too much on social services and allowed their military production capabilities to rust because big daddy USA would always be there with the largest MIC on the planet.

                Well, somebody just went to the gas station for cigarettes. Good luck.

          • @EpicGamer@lemmy.world
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            -94 months ago

            🤓☝️ source? It doesn’t take much reasoning to see that a new 5th generation aircraft first produced in 1987 is quite mediocre compared to the american wizardry that is the f-35. The gripen is a fine 4th generation aircraft, but it is not a 5th gen. Don’t get me started about eu engine production as well. We are behind, and we need military funding.

            • @mindlight@lemm.ee
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              154 months ago

              You are both comparing two systems and calling the one that cost 5-7 time less per flight hour mediocre in a discussion where the enemy discussed are recycling hardware from the 50’s on the battlefield.

              Dudes, Gripen might not be a 5th generation fighter but it clearly outperforms the enemy it was designed to wrestle.

              So “mediocre” it’s not what I would call Gripen even though I agree that we (Sweden) should spend more on developing a new 5th generation system among other defence systems.

              • @EpicGamer@lemmy.world
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                -34 months ago

                The finnish and swiss did not agree, both concluded that the f-35 would be economally better over the entire lifespan of the planes. Buying a new plane requires you to look further than one month of flying

                • @mindlight@lemm.ee
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                  4 months ago

                  If this is what makes you conclude the F-35 being a better system, you clearly have idea of what you’re talking about. (NOT.)

                  Arms deals of that magnitude are based more on what politicians see as a chance of getting reelected than what the engineers conclude.

                  Furthermore, just looking at the specifications and conclude that A is better than B is something people without insight would do.

                  I recommend this Swedish blog post on the subject that was written 10 years ago: Gripen E vs JSF

          • @nevemsenki@lemmy.world
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            -114 months ago

            It’s advertised as a cheap lightweight fighter, it’s standout feature being that a minimal amount of crew can operate it in adverse conditions. Which is most useful if you want a peacetime or “guerilla” fighter. There’s exactly two countries in Europe - beyond Sweden - that use Gripen, and I do know that in one of them (Hungary) they beat the F16 by basically buying off Orban and his cronies. …who, ironically enough, are now blocking Sweden’s entry into NATO.

            I’d think that at least in Europe you’d see more adoption of the plane if it weren’t mediocre.

            • @mindlight@lemm.ee
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              4 months ago

              When I asked about you backing your claim I didn’t mean you making more claims. We’re on the internet, just link to the analysis you are referring to.

    • @GiddyGap@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      Reminds my of when Trump threatened to withdraw troops from Germany to punish them and a high-ranking military officer had to correct him and explain that the American troops are not in Germany to protect Germany but for the benefit of the US in order to support its strategic interests in the region.

      Trump seems clueless on these things.

    • @Delta_V@lemmy.world
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      -174 months ago

      I’m not sure how much the US really wants that

      Or anyone else for that matter. Armed Europe has a somewhat violent history.

  • @Greyghoster@aussie.zone
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    174 months ago

    Trump just says stuff, brain farts really, that his MAGA sycophants just lap up and suddenly approve. On day soon they will be cheering as he jerks off in public.

  • @zik@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    I mean you’re talking about the guy who allowed a million Americans to die unnecessarily through his mishandling of covid so I don’t think a few deaths are going to bother him.

  • AutoTL;DRB
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    54 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Trump told a campaign rally in South Carolina on Saturday night that he would “encourage” Russia to attack any of the US’s Nato allies that he felt were not paying their fair share.

    At the political rally, Trump – who is in the lead to be the Republican nominee in this year’s US presidential election – claimed that the president of “a big country” had asked him: “Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia – will you protect us?”

    In London, Peter Ricketts, a member of the House of Lords who previously served as the permanent representative to Nato in Brussels, wrote on X: “Not very plausible that the president of a ‘big’ European country would ask him that (or call him sir!).

    Jan Lipavský, the Czech Republic’s minister for foreign affairs, said: “Nato is currently in the strongest position it has ever been, both because of the strong transatlantic link and because of the domestic deterrence and defence tasks that European allies are performing.

    The White House spokesperson Andrew Bates, when asked about Trump’s comments, 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.”

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


    The original article contains 914 words, the summary contains 243 words. Saved 73%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • theodewere
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    44 months ago

    he’s good at putting other people at risk with his words and actions

  • @Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    24 months ago

    Thank you, Orange hitler, for taking the issue of Biden’s age back off of the table. And just in time for the Super Bowl. Swiftforce one is on schedule. Pelosi’s troublemakers are favored

    • @hydropticOP
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      124 months ago

      Are you having a stroke or am I?

      • @root_beer@midwest.social
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        4 months ago

        NATO comments now sucking air out of room instead of Biden age/cognitive capacity (not necessarily true, thx media); Taylor Swift Derangement Syndrome continues to bother chuds

        Not really related to one another but I get it I guess

  • Gazumi
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    14 months ago

    NATO their could be talking about any of Trumps comments since the first time that he announced running for president.