Brian Kilmeade Tries to Redirect Trump During NATO Question ‘There Are People Who Believe You Want to Get Out of NATO — Is That What You Want to Do?'”
Pic: Reuters
Fox News radio host Brian Kilmeade found himself struggling to keep former President Donald Trump focused on a simple yes-or-no question during a Wednesday morning interview. Kilmeade asked Trump about his stance on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), amidst rumors that Trump might want to withdraw from the alliance.
Kilmeade asked, “There are people who believe you want to get out of NATO — is that what you want to do?” However, Trump’s response quickly veered off-topic, covering a wide array of subjects including China, COVID-19, President Joe Biden, the economy, and immigration.
Trump’s lengthy response began with, “I just want them to pay their bills, we’re protecting Europe, they take advantage very badly.” He then segued into various topics: “Not so much worse, I tell you what, very badly, you look at China, you know China is terrible, but I straightened them out, and then we had COVID and I had to focus on other things and we did an incredible job, we got it back.
We saved the country, this country would have gotten into a massive depression if I weren’t president and I gave him a stock market that was higher than pre-COVID when COVID first came in. And what he’s done to the economy is horrible because of inflation. The costs have gone up at a level — I think it’s close to 50 percent, not 20 percent or 25 percent—”
Kilmeade attempted to interject, asking, “So you’re not looking to get out of NATO?” Trump continued without directly addressing the question: “I think it cost us— You know they don’t include the real costs, okay? When something really goes haywire like interest rates, they don’t include that in their cost of inflation.
But what they’ve done with inflation and what they’ve done to this country by allowing millions of people, I think 20 million people will be the number by the time this guy gets out hopefully Nov. 5 is gonna be the biggest day, most important day in the history of our country. But you’re talking about 20 million people, many coming from institutions, mental institutions, and insane asylums, coming from jails and prisons all over the world. Do you know that other countries have the best crime numbers they’ve ever had—”
Kilmeade, trying again to redirect, was cut off by Trump who continued, “—because they’re sending all their criminals into the United States. Not just South America, they’re sending all of their criminals, Brian, into the United States. We’re going to have a problem and we’re gonna get ’em out.”
Finally, Kilmeade played a clip of Biden discussing increased contributions to NATO and asked Trump if Biden should take credit for that. Trump responded, “Of course, he shouldn’t. They’re under attack. With me there was no attack, everybody felt comfortable. And I took in billions and billions, hundreds of billions of dollars. [Jens] Stoltenberg, the secretary general [of NATO], said ‘Trump did something I didn’t think was possible.’ I took in the money he’s spending right now. If I didn’t even take it in they wouldn’t even have a NATO to fight Russia.
It was me that took in all the money. But they felt comfortable because frankly, uh, they weren’t going to be attacked. They knew Russia would never attack as long as I was president. When he became president, of course, they’re paying right now, they’re under attack. If they didn’t pay right now, the United States, if they were smart, would say, ‘Well, I’m sorry, we can’t protect you.’ ‘Cause they have the money to pay. But he makes a big deal out of it. Think about it, they’re under attack. He is such a dumb president it’s not even believable.
Of course, they’re saying they don’t want to be attacked, they don’t want, they want to make sure Russia, the United States, stays right behind them, Russia doesn’t attack them. But it’s real easy to get money when you’re at war with Russia.” The interview highlighted the ongoing debate over NATO’s role and Trump’s potential plans if he were to return to office in 2025. Despite Kilmeade’s efforts, Trump’s response remained broad, touching on numerous issues rather than providing a direct answer.
