Trump's unpredictability is a form of deterrence that unbalances leaders, says Boris Johnson

(MENAFN-IANS) New York, November 2 (IANS) Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says US presidential candidate Donald Trump's unpredictability is an asset because it provides a form of deterrence that unbalances foreign leaders.

Any deterrence relies on unpredictability, but it also relies on force, he said in an interview with USA Today.

Taking a very different view from many leaders and media, he said: “People say one of the things that worries people is its unpredictability, right? “Oh, he’s unpredictable.” That's a good thing.

It's a good deal internationally because foreign leaders are a little nervous about (Trump), the British Conservative leader said.

He gave the example of Trump's assertion that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he had been in the White House.

I think it's probably true that Putin wouldn't have done it if he had been in the White House – during the invasion of '22. I think that seems fair to me, he said.

Johnson served as Britain's foreign secretary from 2016 to 2018, when he became prime minister, a position he held until 2022, allowing him to keep a close eye on Trump and President Joe Biden.

He did not support Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “It’s the American people’s decision.”

He said unpredictability gets the message across even to allies and recalled Trump at a 2017 NATO summit, when Trump was accused of insulting other leaders and acting rudely .

Trump tore up the prepared speech and simply improvised this big tirade against everyone.

His message was that NATO countries should increase their defense budgets.

The fact is that this was pure American policy… but it was done in a completely unconventional way. And people later reported on that summit saying, “Oh, Trump was threatening to leave NATO.” He was doing no such thing. It was simply stating standard US policy and standard UK policy to get allies to spend more and pay more (for defence), he said.

He did it in an unconventional way, he added, but it was a good thing because they started paying more.

Johnson said Trump's unconventional style may offend refined political tastes, but he has appeal.

Many European leaders think it's pretty rude, but I don't, and that's a terrible thing to admit, but I like it, so shoot me, he said.

If he shows up in a garbage truck to satirize his opponent, I like that. This is my kind of level, okay? And maybe it doesn't suit more refined political tastes, but I happen to accept it, he said.

Johnson was referring to Trump's arrival in a garbage truck wearing a garbage vest Tuesday in Milwaukee after President Joe Biden called his supporters trash.

People attack populism, but I feel like our system is a great system, and it's not going to work if you can't actually address what people want you to fix,” he said. he declared.

Regarding fears that Trump might abandon Ukraine, Johnson said Trump's current record shows otherwise.

He said Trump, for example, gave Ukraine Javelin missiles, and if you look at the concrete evidence of what he did, it stood in stark contrast to the relative inertia of the previous Democratic administration.

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