Polish foreign minister tells MSNBC host Trump 'is right' to call for NATO to pay more for its own defense

Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski told MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell Wednesday that former President Trump "is right" about NATO countries needing to spend more on their own defense.

Trump ignited a controversy during a campaign speech last month in South Carolina when he said he once told an unnamed country he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to NATO members that did not meet spending guidelines on defense.

"NATO was busted until I came along," Trump said at the rally. "I said, ‘Everybody’s gonna pay.' They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?' I said, 'Absolutely not.' They couldn't believe the answer." 

Trump later added, "No, I would not protect you, in fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills."

IN WHITE HOUSE VISIT, POLISH PRESIDENT PUSHES NATO TO RAMP UP SPENDING, CALLS ON US TO FUND UKRAINE

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski argued that former President Trump is correct to say European countries should pay more for their own defense. (MSNBC)

The former president has frequently criticized other NATO members for the amount of money they spend on their defense compared to what the United States spends. He has also threatened multiple times in the past to withdraw the U.S. from NATO. 

"What would you say to Donald Trump, who actually said that he would encourage Putin to go into countries, NATO countries, that don’t pay their fair share?" Mitchell asked Sikorski. 

"Well, we hope that’s just flowery rhetoric," the Polish official said, "He is right, that we should be spending more in Europe. Poland is spending well over 3% of GDP on defense, and we’ve placed $50 billion worth of defense orders in the United States."

NATO MEMBERS BRACE FOR TRUMP WIN AS RECORD NUMBER OF MEMBERS MOVE TO MEET SPENDING PLEDGES

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures at a campaign rally Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Rome Ga.  (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

The MSNBC host also noted that "Donald Trump is ahead in the polls in America" in what she said will be a "very tight election" and asked, "How worried are you about what the next American presidency could mean in terms of Poland’s security and NATO?

"Poland wants to have an excellent relationship with the United States irrespective of who is in charge here. President Biden, of course, is a transatlanticist. He voted for joining NATO. But America has interests to do with credibility. You know when the U.S. has spoken that Kiev will be defended, if that were not acted upon, it would be noticed by your allies around the globe. So I hope the U.S. will help the Ukrainians, because they are defending themselves, they just need the means to do so," he said.

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Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.

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