Blinken Says Trump’s Case ‘Did Not Come Up’ in Talks With NATO Allies

The question of whether former President Donald Trump would face criminal charges was never discussed during a meeting with NATO allies, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken was in Brussels on April 5 for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting where he discussed ways to support Ukraine and its potential accession to the NATO military alliance. Meanwhile, Trump was being arraigned in New York on April 4 on charges of falsifying business records related to payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign.

When asked whether the NATO allies had asked about Trump’s case, Blinken said they had not. He added that he did not receive any questions regarding the durability of the United States’ approach, despite concerns over the country’s long-term stability in the face of domestic political polarization.

Ukraine

NATO allies discussed ways to help Ukraine during the meeting. Blinken noted that the group aimed to bring the country to NATO standards to better deter aggression, prevent aggression, and defeat potential future aggression. Trump had previously criticized President Joe Biden over his handling of the Ukraine war, arguing that it could lead to World War III.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has spoken out against the charges levied against Trump, noting that he does not agree with using legal or judicial issues for political or electoral purposes.

Congress

Congress has provided a mixed reaction to Trump’s arraignment. Some, like Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat who served as an impeachment manager during Trump’s second impeachment trial, believes that Bragg has “shown great courage in holding Donald Trump accountable.”

Others, like Rep. Debbie Lesko, an Arizona Republican who sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee, argues that the case is a “political witch hunt to unjustly attack” Trump.