Former National Security Adviser John Bolton has warned that former President Donald Trump is likely to withdraw from NATO if he is re-elected in November.
Bolton told CNN's Caitlan Collins on Thursday that that was a possibility, citing Trump's past threats about North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies not spending their defense dollars properly. “It's very high,” he said.
“To the Republicans who believe that Trump is fine for a second term, that he's not going to give up support to Ukraine, that he's not going to withdraw from NATO, that he's not going to interpret the Washington Treaty in his favor.” Not helpful at all… Vote for Trump if you want, but just make sure you do it with your eyes open,” Bolton said in an interview on CNN's “The Source.”
He added: “It is very likely that he will leave NATO.”
Mr. Collins asked Mr. Bolton what he thought about President Trump's repeated statements earlier Thursday at the Detroit Economic Club that he would not protect NATO allies from Russian aggression.
The CNN host also discussed veteran journalist Bob Woodward's latest bombshell book that claims President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have secretly communicated at least seven times since the former president left office. Mentioned. Mr. Trump denied the allegation.
Bolton, who served under the Trump administration, acknowledged there was a dispute over the number of meetings between the two sides, but said it was “not surprising.” [him] Even if the former president had little, if any, contact with the Russian leader.
“It would simply confirm what has been clear for some time now, which is that President Trump thinks he has a great personal relationship with President Vladimir Putin,” Collins said.
But, the former White House adviser added, “If he has a good relationship personally, the United States and his country will have a good relationship. That's complete nonsense.”
Bolton previously warned in an interview last year that Trump would withdraw from NATO, calling his foreign policy “insane.”
“President Trump will almost certainly withdraw from NATO in his second term,” Bolton said at the time, citing the former president's deal with the Taliban and dealings with Iran that led to the U.S. withdrawal. .
The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
