The previous U.S. president, set to do battle with incumbent Joe Biden later this yr, spooked allies when he mentioned he would “encourage” Russia to “do regardless of the hell they need” to NATO international locations which don’t pay their means.
“It’s essential that European international locations acknowledge that in terms of America’s position on this planet, we’re actors, not observers,” Hunt, Britain’s high finance minister, mentioned.
“Ultimately, we now have to be ready to spend extra on protection. Donald Trump is somebody who’s made that case very loudly, however really, it’s been made by each American president, whereas I’ve been in public life.
“And, you realize, that could be a cheap request from the US that Europe contributes extra to its personal protection.”
As the person holding the U.Ok. purse strings, nonetheless, Hunt’s feedback may increase eyebrows again within the U.Ok., the place there’s intense debate over whether or not Britain’s governing Tories are spending sufficient on protection.
Protection Secretary Grant Shapps reportedly known as for Hunt to extend protection spending from round 2.2 p.c to 2.5 p.c of GDP in final month’s government-wide finances, a request that was rebuffed.
This week ex-U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace dismissed a current £500 million one-off protection finances uplift as a “shallow gimmick that assumes nobody understands how protection departments work.”