Condemns predecessor

Biden on Trump’s NATO statement: “stupid and shameful”

(Bild: Associated Press)

Former US President Donald Trump has caused global outrage with an announcement: he does not want to grant NATO partners who default on payments any protection from Russia. His successor Joe Biden criticized this statement with harsh words: "For God's sake, that's stupid, that's shameful, that's dangerous, that's un-American," he declared.

"No other president in history has ever bent the knee to a Russian dictator", criticized the US president on Tuesday and emphasized: "I will never do that."

Trump would "encourage" Russia
Trump, who wants to challenge Biden in the presidential election in November and run again for the Republicans, had said during a campaign appearance at the weekend that the "president of a great country" had once asked him whether the US would still protect that country from Russia if it did not pay for its defense spending. He replied: "No, I would not protect you." In fact, he said, he would "even encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want".

The US President rebukes his predecessor with harsh words.(Bild: Associated Press)

Biden had already sharply criticized the statement at the weekend, but has now followed up. "Can you imagine a former President of the United States saying that? The whole world heard it," said the Democrat. "The worst thing about it is that he means it." Principles don't matter to Trump, Biden lamented. "When he looks at NATO, he doesn't see the alliance that protects America and the world." Instead, Trump sees the alliance as a burden or as a means of demanding protection.

Alliance relies on deterrence
As a defense alliance, NATO relies on the principle of deterrence and Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty is particularly relevant for this. It regulates the obligation to provide assistance within the alliance and states that an armed attack against one or more allies is regarded as an attack against all of them.

Biden recalled that this alliance case has only been triggered once in the history of NATO - and that was in support of America, after the terrorist attacks against the USA on September 11, 2001. The Democrat also emphasized once again that he is firmly committed to the duty of assistance and that as long as he is president, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory.