Biden Tears Into Trump’s NATO Comments: ‘Shameful’ and ‘Un-American’

TIME

President Joe Biden launched a cutting political attack on Donald Trump from the White House Tuesday, calling Trump’s invitation to Russia to attack European allies “dumb, shameful, dangerous” and ”un-American.”

Transcript

00:00 The stakes were already high for American security

00:03 before this bill was passed in the Senate last night.

00:06 But in recent days, those stakes have risen.

00:08 And that's because the former President

00:10 has set a dangerous and shockingly,

00:12 frankly, un-American signal to the world.

00:15 Just a few days ago, Trump gave an invitation to Putin

00:19 to invade some of our ally -- NATO allies.

00:21 He said, if an ally didn't spend enough money on defense,

00:25 he would encourage Russia to, quote,

00:26 "do whatever the hell they want," end of quote.

00:30 Can you imagine a former President of the United States

00:34 saying that?

00:35 The whole world heard it.

00:37 The worst thing is, he means it.

00:39 No other President in our history

00:41 has ever bowed down to a Russian dictator.

00:44 Well, let me say this as clearly as I can.

00:47 I never will. For God's sake, it's dumb.

00:51 It's shameful. It's dangerous. It's un-American.

00:53 When America gives us word, it means something.

00:58 When we make a commitment, we keep it.

01:00 And NATO is a sacred commitment.

01:02 Donald Trump looks at this as if it's a burden.

01:05 When he looks at NATO, he doesn't see the alliance

01:09 that protects America and the world;

01:11 he sees a protection racket.

01:12 He doesn't understand that NATO is built

01:15 on fundamental principles of freedom,

01:17 security, and national sovereignty.

01:19 Because for Trump, principles never matter.

01:23 Everything is transactional.

01:26 He doesn't understand that the sacred commitment

01:28 we've given works for us as well.

01:31 In fact, I would remind Trump and all those

01:35 who would walk away from NATO,

01:37 Article 5 has only been invoked once --

01:39 just once in our NATO history --

01:42 and it was done to stand with America

01:45 after we were attacked on 9/11.

01:46 We should never forget it.

01:49 You know, our adversaries have long sought

01:51 to create cracks in the alliance.

01:54 The greatest hope of all those who wish America harm

01:57 is for NATO to fall apart.

01:58 And you can be sure that they all cheered

02:04 when they heard Donald Trump -- when they heard what he said.

02:07 I know this. I will not walk away.

02:11 I can't imagine any other President walking away.

02:14 For as long as I'm President, if Putin attacks a NATO ally,

02:18 the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory.

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