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Trump Is Losing It: It is unclear whether Donald Trump has forgotten the precise nature of NATO or whether he ever fully grasped it in the first place. (www.nytimes.com)

submitted 8 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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What is clear, however, is that Trump — who ostensibly spent four years as president of the United States — has little clue about what NATO is or what NATO does. And when he spoke on the subject at a rally in South Carolina over the weekend, what he said was less a cogent discussion of foreign policy than it was gibberish — the kind of outrageous nonsense that flows without interruption from an empty and unreflective mind.

“One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, ‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay, and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’” Trump said, recalling an implausible conversation with an unnamed, presumably European head of state. “‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?’” Trump recounted responding. “‘No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.’”

The former president’s message was clear: If NATO members do not pay up, then he will leave them to the mercy of a continental aggressor who has already plunged one European country into death, destruction and devastation.

Except NATO isn’t a mafia protection racket. NATO, in case anyone needs to be reminded, is a mutual defense organization, formed by treaty in 1949 as tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union hardened into conflict. “The parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all,” states Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

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[-] CynicRaven@lemmy.world 59 points 8 months ago

"One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 'Well, sir,

Imma stop it right there. It's always possible that someone, out of a general professional attitude or decorum, used that 'sir' wording, but I'll be damned if I've heard Trump use that word in a context that doesn't sound like he's just making some bullshit up.

I mean, he pretty much always sounds like he's making some shit up, but my point stands!

[-] jballs@sh.itjust.works 41 points 8 months ago

I like how John Bolton (who is a massive douche nozzle by the way but gotta give credit where credit is due) called Trump out by saying that any time Trump tells a story where someone calls him "sir" then you know it's absolute bullshit.

[-] jkrtn@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago

"Sir" is a bit of a red herring when all of Donald's stories are absolute bullshit.

[-] Ghyste@sh.itjust.works 18 points 8 months ago

"Sir" is one of Donnie's tells. If he tells a story that includes someone calling him sir, it's completely made up/never happened.

I mean, that's aside from him lying if his lips are moving.

[-] blazeknave@lemmy.world 17 points 8 months ago

This is some LinkedIn "then everyone clapped and it turned out the wolf I saved was the hiring manager all along and they made me CEO" type shit

[-] maynarkh@feddit.nl 10 points 8 months ago

If you get called "sir" in Europe, you are most likely getting scammed by a taxi driver.

[-] Hominine@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Sorry, we were looking for "big country."

this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2024

609 points (97.4% liked)

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