Former U.S. National Security Advisor, John Bolton, has expressed criticism over President Donald Trump‘s approach towards the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, suggesting that the United Nations (U.N.) would be a better target for scrutiny.
What Happened: In an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal, Bolton argued that Trump’s ongoing assault on NATO, which began in his first term and has continued as he campaigns for a second, undermines U.S. strength by eroding alliances.
“Donald Trump is foolishly setting his sights on a NATO withdrawal when the real question should be whether America leaves the U.N. While our NATO membership remains key to national security, the U.N. provides little other than wasting 18 billion taxpayer dollars every year,” Bolton said in a post on X.
Bolton also criticized Trump’s approach to NATO member countries that fail to meet defense spending targets, calling the concept of a “two-tier NATO” toxic for alliance solidarity and impractical.
See Also: Millions Of Americans Are Considering A Mass Exodus If Donald Trump Wins Again, Says Report
According to Bolton, Trump should instead focus on the United Nations, which he believes poses a greater threat to U.S. interests. Bolton suggested shifting from assessed to voluntary contributions, defunding certain U.N. agencies, and even withdrawing from some U.N. entities.
Why It Matters: Trump’s approach to NATO has been a point of contention throughout his presidency, with his calls for increased defense spending by member countries and threats of withdrawal causing concern among U.S. allies. In February, Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Trump could withdraw the U.S. from NATO if re-elected, based on his history of questioning the value of the alliance.
In August last year, Bolton also criticized Trump’s foreign policy, stating that it was “erratic” and primarily driven by how decisions would benefit Trump himself.
More recently, U.S. President Joe Biden and other top Western officials criticized Trump after the former president said that the U.S. might not defend NATO allies who fail to meet their defense spending targets against a potential Russian invasion. Biden said Trump would “allow Russia to ‘do whatever the hell they want' with them."
According to Real Clear Politics, at the national level, Trump held 47.6% support, While Biden trailed with 45.8% support.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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