Trump NATO Comments Prompt Urgent UK-US Call

A statement from the UK government confirms Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former US President Donald Trump have spoken by phone. The call followed recent remarks by Trump that caused international concern. He suggested the US might not defend NATO allies who do not meet spending targets and that he would "encourage" Russia to act against them. The leaders' discussion emphasized the enduring strength of the UK-US relationship. No further details of the private conversation were released. Trump's comments, made before a campaign rally, broke from decades of bipartisan US support for the NATO military alliance. They drew swift criticism from current President Joe Biden and European leaders.