Is Donald Trump turning national security into a business?
The US president seems willing to sell its military services after his meeting with Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda.
Fort Trump: This was the name Poland suggested for a new US military base on its soil, and it’s willing to fork out more than $2bn for the project.
During an official visit to Washington, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda told US President Donald Trump that stationing US boots on the ground will defend Poland against Russian aggression.
Trump says the US has been protecting rich countries for years and these countries, Poland included, should pay for security. He’s calling it “burden sharing”.
So, is Trump willing to sell his country’s military services? And what are the strategic risks?
Presenter: Hoda Abdel Hamid
Guests:
Scott Lucas – professor of American studies at the University of Birmingham
David DesRoches – associate professor at the National Defense University and former Pentagon official
Georg Lofflmann – research fellow in international security at Warwick University