From Fortune:

Donald Trump stated that as president, he would “encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are “delinquent.” He made this claim during a rally in Conway, South Carolina. NATO allies have agreed to spend 2% of their GDP on defense by 2024, after Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates has stated that “Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged.” Trump has also called for the end of foreign aid without “strings” attached. Citing his 2016 campaign, Trump warned that the US may abandon its NATO treaty commitments unless other countries spend the required 2% of their GDP on military spending. Fast forward to 2022, Trump now claims credit for increased NATO member spending due to his threats. However, countries do not pay NATO directly.



Read more: Trump says he’d encourage Russia to do ‘whatever the hell they want’ to delinquent NATO countries