As representatives from the 32 nations that make up the North Atlantic Treaty Organization met in Washington D.C. this week, the GOP’s presumptive presidential candidate is planning to cut intelligence the U.S. shares with it.
That’s if he gets elected in November.
POLITICO reported Wednesday that former President Donald Trump “is considering a reduction in intelligence sharing with members of NATO, which depends on the U.S. for the type of information that has helped Ukraine fend off Russia, according to foreign officials informed of the plans.”
Russia’s attack on Ukraine began more than two years ago. Just this week, there were more deadly Russian airstrikes in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, the UN aid coordination office reported Wednesday.
“At the Washington Summit, we will demonstrate NATO’s unity and strength once again – in support of Ukraine, and to keep all our people and values safe,” said Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.
Ukraine is not yet a member of NATO, which was established in 1949 with the primary goal of creating a mutual alliance to counter the risk of the Soviet Union (now Russia). However, Ukraine does border multiple members, including Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. It is also near Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Turkey. Talks of making Ukraine a NATO member have intensified as the Russian invasion drags on.
According to POLITICO, “Trump advisers have told allied countries the reduced intel sharing would be part of a broader plan to scale back U.S. support and cooperation with the 32-nation alliance, according to three European officials and a senior NATO official, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal discussions,” and when he was in office, Trump also “repeatedly questioned and sought to undercut the alliance.”
Without intel from the U.S., there could be dire security consequences for Ukraine, per the outlet. Experts gathered for a media briefing on the NATO summit from the Council on Foreign Relations said that NATO members are working on “Trump-proofing” the alliance. POLITICO also reported that curtailment of intelligence in a new Trump administration was a topic of conversation at the summit.
“It’s the American intelligence that helped convince a lot of NATO countries that Putin was resolved to invade Ukraine,” one European official quoted by POLTICIO said. “Some countries didn’t believe Russia had the capabilities to carry out a successful military campaign.”
When asked for comment on whether Trump would reduce intelligence given to NATO, a spokesperson from the Trump campaign did not respond directly, the outlet said. It instead referred to a statement on Truth Social that the former president “will restore peace and rebuild American strength and deterrence on the world stage.”
Earlier this year, Audacy reported that Trump heavily criticized NATO, and said he would let Russia “do whatever the hell they want” to any of the alliance’s countries.
Time Magazine reported Thursday that Trump planned to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida this week.
Although Hungary is part of NATO, Orbán recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Time report said that he is a suspected intermediary between Trump and the Russian leader.
On the other hand, the administration of President Joe Biden is supportive of NATO.
“Today, NATO is as united as it has ever been and it is larger, stronger, and better resourced than ever. President Biden will reaffirm the United States’ unwavering commitment to the transatlantic bond and Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – that an attack on one is an attack on all,” said the White House in a Wednesday statement.
Following a much-criticized debate performance, Biden’s place as the Democratic candidate this November was thrown into question. YouGov poll results released this week even showed that just 29% of voters believed he would win the election, compared to 48% who thought Trump would. Poll results released later this week by SoCal Research/Old Dominion State showed that Biden was polling higher than Trump at 47% to 44% and that his Vice President Kamala Harris (a possible replacement) was neck and neck with Trump at 47% to 47%.