Hillary Clinton on Trump’s NATO Engagement

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented recently about President Donald Trump’s sincerity in his approach to NATO during his current term. She reflected on how NATO members have agreed to boost their defense spending from 2% of their GDP to 5% by 2035, which was influenced by Trump’s pressure. Notably, this decision came after he signed a contract in July to facilitate NATO’s financial support for Ukraine’s weaponry.

In a podcast discussion, Clinton described these developments as encouraging signs of a growing understanding between the Trump administration and European allies. She mentioned, “I have been encouraged by the events of the past few months. First of all, NATO’s commitment to increasing defense spending by individual member states is greatly appreciated, which is something that previous administrations have certainly sought.” She emphasized the support that European nations are showing towards Ukraine, aided by American weapons.

Clinton continued, noting the shift in dynamics, “I think it’s a very good signal that a better understanding is beginning both by the President and those around him. The earlier light missions we experienced in the first Trump administration have been replaced by a more substantial partnership concerning European security and, hopefully, Ukraine’s security.”

In a separate interview, Trump mentioned that NATO would cover the costs for U.S.-backed patriot missile systems, stating that this was decided during the NATO summit in June in The Hague. NATO Executive Director Mark Latte praised Trump’s contributions at the summit, even referring to him affectionately as “daddy.” He acknowledged Trump’s role in securing the defense spending agreements, asserting that without Trump’s leadership, reaching such an agreement wouldn’t have been possible.

Additionally, Chris Cuomo of NewsNation commended Trump in a July episode of his show for what he termed “good” foreign policy decisions, giving him a “B” grade overall. He highlighted the U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities as a significant action that sent a strong message to the Iranian regime, which he argued benefitted both Israel and U.S. interests by delaying Iran’s nuclear program.

Reports from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the CIA, along with assertions from the Iranian government, suggest that the U.S. strike inflicted considerable damage on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.