NewsMay reveals efforts to keep Trump committed to NATO amid concerns over his unpredictability

May reveals efforts to keep Trump committed to NATO amid concerns over his unpredictability

Theresa May and Donald Trump

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25 March 2024 15:44

During a conversation with a group of Conservative Party supporters in Milton Keynes, Theresa May mentioned her first meeting with Trump in 2017. Trump was then expressing a threat to withdraw from the defence alliance during the ongoing election campaign.

"I was the first world leader to visit him after the inauguration," said May. "I set myself a clear goal to convince him to engage in NATO because of what he threatened in his presidential campaign," she added.

"After talking privately with him and when we went to the press conference, I wasn't sure what he would say," May said, emphasising Trump's reluctance to international cooperation and his unpredictability. "Fortunately, he got involved in NATO," she stated.

"Now we have the same problem if he won the presidential election. He said contradictory things about NATO. In my opinion, the biggest problem is his unpredictability," said May.

Trump: Europe is exploiting the States

On 19 March, Donald Trump in an interview with Nigel Farage harshly criticised the European Union countries for "exploiting the USA" and called for the Community countries to fulfil their NATO obligations.

- Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money, and the United States has to cover most of the costs - Trump said. When asked by the journalist whether the USA would stay in NATO if he came to power again, he replied: "Yes, but they have to pay the States a fair share."

He added that, according to his information, the United States funds 90 percent of NATO's budget. The journalist wanted a clear declaration and asked: "If NATO operates on fair principles, will America remain in the Alliance?".