
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declined to address concerns regarding President Joe Biden’s health when questioned about the matter during an interview with CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday. The inquiry came in the wake of Biden’s poor performance in a recent debate, which has sparked discussions about his fitness among NATO leaders.
Robert Costa, a CBS News reporter, directly asked Stoltenberg for his perspective on how NATO leaders privately view Biden’s health. Stoltenberg sidestepped the question, emphasizing the focus on the upcoming NATO summit instead.
“I’m absolutely confident that, when all NATO leaders convene here this week, it will be a great summit,” Stoltenberg responded. He highlighted the significance of the summit, celebrating NATO’s 75th anniversary and underscoring recent productive discussions with Biden about crucial decisions on defense, support for Ukraine, and burden-sharing among European allies.
Stoltenberg stressed the necessity of strong U.S. leadership for a robust NATO. When Costa pressed further on the private views of NATO leaders regarding Biden’s health, Stoltenberg remained firm in his refusal to comment.
“If I started to comment on issues like that, then, suddenly, NATO, I will be part of domestic debate,” Stoltenberg stated. He emphasized the importance of keeping NATO out of U.S. domestic political discussions, focusing instead on collective decisions and actions, such as increased defense spending among European allies.
Stoltenberg noted significant progress in defense spending, with more NATO members meeting the 2% GDP target. “This year, it’s 23 allies, an increase just this year 18 percent across Europe and Canada also, record high investments for our European allies,” he added.
Despite growing concerns and speculation about Biden’s health, Stoltenberg’s refusal to engage in the discussion reflects a broader effort to maintain NATO’s focus on collective security and strategic objectives rather than becoming embroiled in internal political debates.