Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 638
GuardianNov 30, 2023
Report: Trump Told EU US Would 'Never' Help if Europe Was Attacked
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Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Facts
Former US Pres. Donald Trump allegedly warned EU Commission Pres. Ursula von der Leyen in private in 2020 that America would not stand by Europe if it were attacked, a senior EU official has claimed.
According to Thierry Breton, French EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Trump told Leyen, "You need to understand that if Europe is under attack, we will never come to help you and to support you," at a meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump's 2020 remarks illustrate why he must never be re-elected US president. The US is the leader of the free world and, therefore, bears the main burden of ensuring its defense. Trump's NATO stance and his cozying up to dictators like Russia's Putin or North Korea's Kim underscore that, as president, Trump would pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the US and its allies. Moreover, NATO is by no means "dead," and the US commitment to the alliance is stronger than ever, also as a result of Russia's Ukraine invasion.
Pro-Trump narrative
Donald Trump is right in saying that the US must no longer allow itself to be exploited economically or strategically by the Europeans. The best strategy to strengthen US national security is not NATO but a robust yet peaceful US foreign policy. It is ludicrous for Democrats to attack the former Pres. for seeking direct dialog with leaders like Putin since only dialog helps overcome conflict. What weakens the US is Biden's lack of leadership, which made the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war possible in the first place. It's time Trump returns to the White House.
Establishment-critical narrative
Both Biden and Trump are under the misconception that NATO defends freedom and democracy and protects Europeans when NATO is, above all, an instrument for enforcing Washington's foreign interests. Europeans should step out of Washington's shadow and deal with the US as they do with China or Russia, cooperating with them when it makes sense and defending their interests when necessary. Only if it adopts a sovereign and independent approach to security and foreign policy will Europe still have a say in the multipolar world order.
