Deborah Cole

So Trump was very quick to respond to these comments.

Well, it fits not only a broader pattern of Trump threatening to reduce the U.S.

true presence in Europe.

I think in general, it reflects an attitude towards Europe that this alliance that has existed since the Second World War exists.

is no longer in US interest, according to him.

And he has very much painted the defense of Ukraine as being a European problem.

That was another thing he said when he lashed out.

Under Joe Biden, it was seen that defense of Ukraine was absolutely in American interest.

And

and that Russia was the adversary.

And, you know, Trump has obviously taken a very different approach when it comes to Russia as well.

Yeah.

Yeah, and that followed the dressing down he gave Zelensky in office, which, you know, you talk to German officials and the horror they experienced watching that.

And I think it was also because it drove home the sense that the Europeans really are on their own.

I mean, NATO alliance still exists, although Donald Trump said at the beginning of April that he could very much, you know, imagine the United States leaving NATO.

Yeah.

And the consequences of that obviously would be catastrophic for the Europeans.

But this idea, the whole sort of framing that the US military presence in Europe is really only a favor to the Europeans is one that really doesn't, you know, bear out in reality when you see how important, you know, these bases are for the projection of American military power in several regions around the world.

Well, you don't even have to just listen to the Europeans.

I mean, you know, there were Republicans after Trump made his comments at the end of last week saying, surely this is going to embolden the Russians.