Former adviser to Donald Trump says why Trump does not criticize Putin

And this will undoubtedly affect what Donald Trump thinks. But you can both expect it to be bad and that it will be unexpectedly good. You never know how he will react to a person.

Let's look at, for example, how Justin Trudeau treated, until recently the Prime Minister of Canada. Trump literally trolled him, called him a “governor”, making allusions to the fact that Canada would be 51. Last month, Trudeau was replaced by Mike Carney, who, like his predecessor, is associated with the liberal Canadian party – is at its head. So it could be expected that Trump would not like him either. Meanwhile, after talking to the American president, Carney claims that this is not the case. So before our president will not talk to the new president of Poland, it is not worth determining anything.

Recently, a number of presidential debates have been held in Poland. Candidates were asked, among others, what country they would visit as part of the first trip after taking office. The word “Washington” fell from the mouth of many, but of course the answers were very different. How important are such gestures for Donald Trump?

Flattery is always the best solution in relations with Donald Trump! Choosing Washington for the goal of the first visit is undoubtedly an important signal for him. A signal that he is important – not necessarily that the United States is important.

Donald Trump recently suggested that he could be a president much longer than we think. Some people think he was serious, and some that he likes jokes that warn the world. His words about the US output with NATO are certainly not a joke from beginning to end, but you may wonder to what extent this scenario is real, and what extent Donald Trump is trying to cause some discussion, or simply a sensation.

Trump always has this element of a joke, and I try to avoid the word “joke” and replace it with the word “cruelty”. He just teases the world.

Nevertheless, I think that the risk of US exit from NATO is serious. Already in 2018, Trump was dangerously close to making such a decision and the situation may undoubtedly happen again. To be honest, it all depends on what is at the top of the list of his thoughts and whether something or someone will cause the topic of the alliance suddenly at this peak jumps.

So if we want to prevent the US from NATO's exit, we can use a very simple strategy – bother his head with other problems. In addition, it is extremely important that our friends in Europe do not give him further arguments to withdraw from the alliance. And Trump can use any excuse, such as the recent commentary of Friedrich Merz.

When the future German Chancellor mentioned “independence from the USA”?

Yes. Hearing this, Trump can simply say that he doesn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable and that if this is how things are, the US says goodbye to NATO. He doesn't really need much, so you should be very careful. At the same time, it should be remembered that when requiring member states to increase defense expenditure, Trump potentially sets out the way to subsequent arguments.

Continued article under video material

The amounts are too high for all countries to meet his expectations?

Yes. I think that Trump wants to set the bar so high that in the end a state, for example Germany, said: “we won't spend so much.”

In 2014, member countries decided that they would spend at least 2 percent. your GDP for defense. Many countries had to pass a path to achieve this goal. Hearing that the bar is constantly erected above, some may begin to wonder if there are any boundaries. And in the eyes of Trump, NATO is an alliance in which America defends Europe and does not receive anything in return. Honestly? I would not like to be part of NATO myself if I perceived them like that. Only that Trump is wrong – because the point is that by joining forces, we are all safer.

Does Donald Trump feel that America will lose anything when leaving NATO?

He thinks that we will not lose anything and ask ourselves: why bother with these Europeans? Some small state here, some small state there – and America is supposed to deal with thick fish – such as those that distribute cards in the Kremlin.

How much can events in Ukraine influence the future of the USA in NATO?

These topics are very closely related, but I think that Trump's attention is currently focused on other issues – even problems with Iran and the wounds that he inflicted on himself by applying customs duties. He did not clearly work out with Ukraine – not so long ago he claimed that he would end the war in 24 hours. It was nonsense at the time and is still nonsense, especially since he failed to even lead to a suspension of weapons. The Russians are progressing exactly in the opposite way to what is hidden under the term “suspension of weapons”.

What reactions among American military do Donald Trump about the North Atlantic Alliance?

Among the highest -ranking officers of our army, there is great anxiety. It is obvious to them that NATO membership gives us a strategic advantage. The idea of ​​leaving the alliance or even weakening it is something incomprehensible.

In my opinion, NATO is the most successful alliance in history. Why would someone want to get out of it? This is surprising not only our military, but people around the world.

Two decades ago, former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar said that NATO should be a global alliance and that Japan, Australia, Israel, Singapore, South Korea and a number of other countries should be accepted. And this is a conversation that should be held today – a conversation about NATO expansion, and not about getting out of the alliance. I believe that most American military commanders share this opinion.

Meanwhile, Trump has isolationist ideas and is surrounded by people who have similar – even JD Vance, who is undoubtedly an isolationist.

What whispers Trump in the ear other advisers in the White House?

I was hoping that they would give him a bit smarter advice on how to behave towards Ukraine, to Europe. It is difficult to say what he really hears from them if you are not with these conversations. I don't know who really has or may have an impact on the president, and who just nods.

In my opinion, Trump prefers advisers who will listen to him, and not those who present him the actual consequences of his ideas. Trump does not have a great strategy prepared, he is not guided by a complicated philosophy, he does not have great discussions about what course to take. Looking at the first 100 days of his presidency, most of the international decisions have negative effects. And the worst thing is that the president is missing the entire decades of the efforts of Americans and ruins the trust that so many countries have given us.

You worked for Donald Trump. Being an adviser to a person who does not want to advise her is probably a difficult task?

During the presidential campaign in 2016, Rudy Giuliani was asked how often Donald Trump was listening to his advice. He said once every five times. I think it's really optimistic respect. Trump, having some idea, often goes to person to person, looking for one who will finally agree with him.

And do you know what is happening then?

Implements his idea, citing a conversation with this person?

Yes, he does what he wanted to do from the very beginning, repeating: “People around tell me that I should do that.” And we have to tighten our teeth and alleviate the effects of his decisions. Remember that with the departure of Donald Trump the world will not end. We will have to live in the posttrump reality.

Returning to the topic of our membership in NATO – during the Cold War, the purpose of the USSR was to break the alliance. It failed. Today, we cannot allow Russia to succeed in the field in which the Soviet Union fell.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ławrow only a few days ago spoke publicly how NATO is allegedly unnecessary.

I have known Lavrov for 35 years. When I worked in the Department of State during George HW Bush, I went to Moscow to meet him. I received notes from my people about him. They wrote that in their opinion Lavrov is not a communist, but a supporter of tsarism. They were right. And we know who Putin is.

And who is for Donald Trump?

A few days ago, dozens of civilians were killed in the attacks on the sums of the sums in Ukraine. How did Trump commented? He said it was “by mistake”. He did not criticize Putin because he thinks they are friends. And yet friends should not be publicly slandered.

* John R. Bolton (born in 1948)American lawyer and diplomat. In the years 2005–2006 the US ambassador to the organization of the United Nations. In the years 2018-2019, adviser to President Donald Trump for national security.