Biden Claims Trump Left NATO 'in tatters'
US President Joe Biden has charged former President Donald Trump with undermining NATO unity through his 'America First' policy. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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In a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, Biden, who recently withdrew from the 2024 presidential race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, specifically targeted the Republican nominee for the damage he claims Trump inflicted on NATO.
“When Trump left office, Europe in NATO was in tatters – not a joke. [The] America First doctrine changed our whole image in the world,” Biden remarked, highlighting a significant aspect of Trump's presidency from 2016 to 2020.
Trump has characterized European members of the US-led alliance as freeloaders, accusing them of inadequate military spending while depending on American security. He has also indicated that during his presidency, he threatened to withdraw US support for "delinquent" NATO nations.
Biden informed Democratic delegates that he had dedicated nearly 190 hours to discussions with European leaders to restore relations after Trump’s tenure. “We united Europe like it had been united for years, adding Finland and Sweden to NATO,” he noted, referencing the addition of the two previously neutral Nordic countries amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Additionally, Biden shared that the late Henry Kissinger had reached out to him shortly before his death in November 2023 to commend his efforts. According to Biden, Kissinger remarked that Europe had viewed Russia “with dread” since the time of Napoleon “until now.”
Napoleon’s ill-fated invasion of Russia in 1812 serves as a historical reference, while Trump has previously cited Europe’s past victories against formidable foes, saying “they’ve defeated Hitler, they’ve defeated Napoleon,” to illustrate his view of Russia as a serious military threat not to be underestimated.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News