WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reiterated that the United States would only help protect NATO members from a future attack by Russia if its European members spent more on defense.
In an interview with Britain鈥檚 right-leaning GB News that was released on Tuesday, Trump repeated remarks that triggered an uproar both at home and abroad last month. He told a campaign rally that he would encourage Russia 鈥渢o do whatever the hell they want鈥� to a NATO member if it wasn鈥檛 spending enough on defense.
In the interview with Trump ally and former British politician Nigel Farage, then former president again defended his recent remark that if he lost the election, there would be a 鈥渂loodbath,鈥� saying it applied to the American auto industry. And he again said he would deport migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border illegally.
Trump has frequently taken aim at the failure of many of NATO鈥檚 32 members to meet a defense spending target of at least 2 percent of gross domestic product. The US military forms the core of the alliance鈥檚 military power. NATO estimates have shown that only 11 members are spending at the target level.
After Trump鈥檚 February comments, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said he expected 18 allies to reach the spending target this year.
Defending his February comments, Trump said he did not care if his political opponents used them against him in the run-up to the Nov. 5 election, in which he will face Democratic President Joe Biden, a staunch supporter of NATO.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care if they use it,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淏ecause what I鈥檓 saying is a form of negotiation. Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money and the United States was paying for most of NATO?,鈥� Trump said.
Asked if the US would defend NATO allies if they started to 鈥減ay their bills properly,鈥� Trump said, 鈥淵es. But the United States should pay its fair share, not everybody else鈥檚 fair share.鈥�
鈥淪o if they start to play fair, America鈥檚 there?鈥� interviewer Nigel Farage asked.
鈥淵es. 100 percent,鈥� Trump replied.

AUTO INDUSTRY 鈥楤LOODBATH,鈥� DEPORTING UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS
In a speech on Saturday, Trump predicted a 鈥渂loodbath for the whole country鈥� as he discussed placing tariffs on imported cars and foreign competition with the US auto industry, provoking an outcry.
In Tuesday鈥檚 interview, he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a bloodbath, in the auto industry, because we鈥檙e going to lose our whole industry, because this guy鈥檚 (Biden) going to all-electric cars, and they鈥檙e made in China, that鈥檚 where the material is, that鈥檚 where the minerals are, that鈥檚 where everything is.鈥� Trump did not provide further details.
Asked about his immigration policy if he became president again, Trump reiterated he would deport migrants who illegally crossed the US-Mexico border.
鈥淵ou can come into the country, but you have to come in legally. They鈥檙e here illegally, especially these criminals. I鈥檓 going to deport them. We鈥檙e going to get them out right away,鈥� he said.