Can Biden stop Trump from derailing his foreign policy?
As the Senate agreed on an aid package for Ukraine, President Biden disputed Trump's criticism of NATO as ITV News' US Correspondent Dan Rivers reports from Washington
President Biden’s anger was palpable as he emerged to make unscheduled remarks in the White House about his rival Donald Trump.
He tore into Trump over Nato, going on the attack after a week in which many have questioned his mental ability to fight the next election.
"Just a few days ago, Trump gave an invitation to Putin to invade some of our allies, NATO allies," he said.
He said if an ally didn't spend enough money on defense, he would encourage Russia to, quote, "do whatever the hell they want."
"Can you imagine a former president of the United States saying that the whole world heard it? The worst thing is he means it."
He was reacting to Trump’s speech on Saturday in which he claimed he’d told the head of an unnamed Nato country - which had not spent the required 2 percent of GDP on defense - that the US would not offer military aid in the event of a Russian attack.
Biden didn’t mince his words, saying: "For God sake, it's dumb. It's shameful. It's dangerous. It's un-American. When America gives its word, it means something.
"When we make a commitment, we keep it. And NATO is a sacred commitment. Donald Trump looks at this as if it's a burden.
"When he looks at NATO, he doesn't see the alliance that protects America and the world. He sees a protection racket."
His criticism went further than just Nato.
The Senate has just passed a huge military aid bill, which would give Ukraine 60 billion dollars of arms, as well as cash to Israel and Taiwan.
But Trump has vowed to block it in the House of Representatives, leaving Kyiv dangerously exposed.
Put simply, Ukraine is running out of ammo.
For President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this is potentially an existential threat to his country.
In the attritional war in the east and south, his troops are running dangerously low on supplies and equipment.
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Trump’s loyalist lieutenant in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson is threatening to stop the bill in its tracks.
Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has pleaded with Johnson to put politics aside and support the bill, urging the house to "meet this moment", adding: "this is a rare moment where history looking upon the United States and seeing if we stand up for our values".
The bill got the support of 29 Republican Senators but Trump has instructed House Republicans to oppose it.
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There are a couple of takeaways from all this.
One is Trump’s pervasive influence on the Republican Party before he has even secured the nomination.
This bill was bipartisan yet, the word of one currently unelected man has scuppered it.
The second is his obvious disdain for the international order.
He wants to put"America First", at the cost of American allies and interests in Europe.
It’s a policy of "isolationism and to hell with the consequences".
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If Vladimir Putin thinks a newly elected President Trump will not fulfill America’s Article 5 commitment to defend other Nato allies if they are attacked, what is to stop him from opening a new front against say one of the Baltic states?
Yesterday Russia put Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kalles and other Baltic officials on a wanted list, in a menacing new escalation.
Tallinn has been warning of Russia’s continued military build-up along its border.
The deterrence of a superpower willing to stand by its allies might suddenly be eroded in November if Trump wins.
No wonder Biden seemed so angry.
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