Trump backs Brazil for Nato membership
DONALD TRUMP suggested he may back full Nato membership for Brazil during a meeting with Jair Bolsonaro, the country’s new far-right leader.
The US president said: “I intend to designate Brazil as a major non-nato ally or even possibly, if you start thinking about it, maybe a Nato ally”.
He added: “I’ll have to talk to a lot of people but maybe a Nato ally – which will greatly advance security and cooperation between our countries.”
Mr Trump’s comments were a step further than had been expected from yesterday’s meeting between the two populist presidents.
Brazilian officials said last week that they have been seeking the status of “major non-nato ally,” which falls short of full Nato membership, but offers financial advantages not available to non-nato members.
Colombia is so far the only Latin American nation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, becoming a “global partner” in 2018, a status which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action.
It was a ringing endorsement of Brazil’s new president by Mr Trump, who predicted a “fantastic working relationship” between the two leaders, saying: “We have many views that are similar.”
In his first official State visit since entering office in January, Mr Bolsonaro said that the two countries stand “side by side” in respect to “traditional and family lifestyles” and against “politically correct attitudes and fake news”.