New York Mag - Trump has finally remade Republicans into Putin's playthings.

[TomCADem]

2. Trump says he would encourage Russia to 'do whatever the hell they want' to any NATO country that doesn't pay enough

There is a pretty obvious quid pro quo between Putin and Trump and other pro-Putin Republicans like MTG. If they provide social media sock puppet support for Republicans, particularly in the primaries, they will hand Ukraine and undermine NATO once they gain power. Conversely, if a Republican takes a stand against Russian expansionism, there will always be a MAGA Republican who is ready to primary them.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/10/politics/trump-russia-nato/index.html

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines on defense in a stunning admission he would not abide by the collective-defense clause at the heart of the alliance if reelected.

“NATO was busted until I came along,” Trump said at a rally in Conway, South Carolina. “I said, ‘Everybody’s gonna pay.’ They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ They couldn’t believe the answer.”

Trump said “one of the presidents of a big country” at one point asked him whether the US would still defend the country if they were invaded by Russia even if they “don’t pay.”

“No, I would not protect you,” Trump recalled telling that president. “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.”