Trump: Britain would fight for US, for EU I'm not sure

United States President Donald Trump has stated that he believes the United Kingdom would support the US in the event of war, but has expressed serious doubts about the European Union countries' readiness to do the same. These statements, he claims, have also influenced the decision not to sign a trade agreement with the European bloc.

In an interview for the BBC, released Tuesday, Trump also stressed that it remains sceptical of supporting NATO allies, even though they have increased defence budgets according to US requirements.

One of the problems with NATO is that we have to fight for them, but will they fight for us if a war breaks out? I'm not sure I can say this, but I'm saying this: I believe the United Kingdom would fight alongside us,” Trump said.
I think they'd be with us. I'm not sure of many other places,” he added.

According to the American president, this conviction has influenced Britain to benefit certain exemptions from trade fees imposed by its administration, while the European Union has faced threats to imposing tariffs of up to 30% against US exports.

So I made a deal with them. I didn't make deals with the European Union. I made some other arrangements, but with your competitors, with the EU, I didn't do anything,” said Trump for the BBC.

NATO has so far activated Article 5 of the founding treaty, which considers an attack on a member as an attack on all. This article was implemented in support of the US following the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks.

The United Kingdom has been one of the US's closest allies, participating in military troops in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, British military capacities have been significantly reduced in recent years. /Periscope/