The ex-U.S. president also referred to NATO as “dead” and asked 400 billion dollars from Germany.

The United States would have never helped any European Union allies, had an E.U. member state been attacked militarily, a European leader shared with the media his account of a meeting with former U.S. president Donald Trump. 

According to French European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who was present at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos in 2020, Trump told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a private discussion, "You need to understand that if Europe is under attack, we will never come to help you and to support you." 

Breton recounted that during the same tense meeting, Trump declared: "By the way, NATO is dead, and we will leave, we will quit NATO."

Trump was also upset over the defense spending bill of America’s European allies, noting that Germany, for example, “owes me 400 billion dollars, because you Germans didn’t pay what you had to pay for defense."

This anecdotical remark was shared by Breton at an event in the European Parliament in Brussels, possibly attempting to hurt Trump’s chances at the Republican Party's 15 January caucus in Iowa, where he is competing for the nomination alongside other candidates like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.

The E.U. leadership in Brussels and in other European capitals are concerned about the potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency. Breton, who oversees the EU's industrial policy and defense agenda, emphasized the need for the EU to enhance its self-defense capabilities, particularly in light of Russia's conflict in Ukraine.

He has proposed establishing a 100-billion-euro fund to boost arms production within the bloc, emphasizing the importance for the E.U. to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

Reflecting on Trump's warning, Breton stated, "That was a big wake-up call, and he may come back."

Just a week ago, Sweden’s Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin urged his fellow citizens to prepare for war. “Many have said it before me, but let me say it with the force of my office – there could be a war in Sweden,” he said, adding that awareness needs to be translated into practical action such as modernizing the Swedish civil defense system and the armed forces. 

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