Giuliani explains Trump’s comments on NATO: It’s just business
By Jerry Adler
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, continuing the Trump campaign’s efforts to walk back the Republican nominee’s headline-making suggestion that the United States might not back up some NATO members in case of a Russian invasion, said it was probably part of a “negotiation to try to get more money” from America’s allies.
In an interview Thursday with Yahoo News Global Anchor Katie Couric, Giuliani, one of Donald Trump’s most prominent backers and surrogates, conceded that “whatever Donald said, the treaty obligation is there and we have to stand by it.” The NATO treaty calls on member nations to support each other militarily if they are attacked.
On Wednesday night, Trump told the New York Times that, in the event of a Russian attack on Eastern Europe, he would decide on a military response based on whether the nations involved “have fulfilled their obligations to us.” The comments, which called into question the United States’ previously ironclad commitment to defend its NATO allies, set off alarm bells in foreign policy circles and in foreign capitals.
Giuliani likened this position to a real estate negotiation, saying of Trump, “If he’s going to sell you a building that’s worth $200 million, he’ll start at $400 million.”
In the wide-ranging interview at the Republican National Convention, Giuliani also conceded that the United States would probably have to pay to build a border wall with Mexico, one of Trump’s signature issues. Trump has insisted that he will force Mexico to foot the bill, but “I think we’re going to end up having to pay for it,” Giuliani said. “That’s my opinion, I may be wrong. … Donald is a great negotiator. If he can get that done, like he says, we’re going to be so happy we’ll be tired of being happy.”
Pressed by Couric to defend Trump’s apparent fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the former mayor offered this interpretation:
“I think what he’s trying to say is that Vladimir Putin is someone you can negotiate with, as opposed to someone like the Ayatollah [Khamenei of Iran] that you can’t negotiate with because he’s an insane murderer. Putin to me is a murderer, but he’s not an insane murderer. … Putin is your typical autocrat, exactly what you’d expect from someone who spent his life in the KGB… but he’s someone you can negotiate with.”
In contrast to some of the other speakers, Giuliani, who gave a stem-winding speech on the convention’s opening night, was surprisingly soft on Hillary Clinton. Asked by Couric about the chants of “Lock her up!” that have resounded in the hall, Giuliani said he was willing to defer punishment until Clinton was tried and found guilty: “I’d prefer if they said ‘Prosecute her’ and not ‘Lock her up,’” he said. “Let the judge figure out whether she should be locked up.”
The former mayor, who ran for president himself in 2008, also said he was enjoying himself in Cleveland. “I’ve actually found this convention to be more fun than any since 2004, the one in New York,” he added. “These [delegates] are out of their mind, they’re going crazy, they’re bouncing off the walls.”
Article by Jerry Adler.
_____
Related slideshows:
On the ground at the RNC Convention – A photo report >>>
‘BOOS CRUZ’: Newspapers react to Ted Cruz’s RNC stunner >>>
Front pages cover Donald Trump’s final primary victory >>>
Melania Trump in the convention spotlight >>>
Convention floor erupts when no roll call taken to change rules to unbind delegates >>>
How newspapers covered the RNC’s fiery first day >>>
Demonstrators protest outside the RNC >>>
