Donald Trump often misunderstood on Nato, says Labour's David Lammy

Shadow foreign secretary has previously called Donald Trump a "racist" and "neo-Nazi sympathiser".

Donald Trump is "often misunderstood" over his commitment to Nato, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has said during a goodwill mission to the US.

Despite "shocking" comments about European allies, Mr Lammy said the ex-president's time in the White House had led to a better-funded Nato alliance.

Mr Lammy previously called Mr Trump a "neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath".

But he said Labour would work with a future Trump administration, in a speech at a Republican think tank.

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During a two-day visit to Washington DC, Mr Lammy has scheduled meetings with senior Democrats, as well as Trump allies including Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and JD Vance, alongside Mr Trump's former deputy assistant secretary of defence Elbridge Colby.

Mr Lammy has also reportedly met Mr Trump's campaign manager Chris LaCivita - in what is believed to be the first official contact between Labour and the former president in the run-up to the 2024 US election.

As Labour's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Lammy is seeking to forge closer ties with both major US parties, to prepare for power if his party -which is well ahead in the opinion polls - wins the UK general election later this year.

Mr Trump has long been critical of Nato - including when he served as president from 2016 to 2020

Bridge-building with the Republicans may prove more challenging for Mr Lammy who has a long track-record of criticising Mr Trump, the expected Republican candidate for president.

In an article in Time magazine explaining why he planned to protest against Mr Trump's 2018 state visit to the UK, Mr Lammy wrote: "Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath.

"He is also a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long."

In 2021, Mr Lammy posted on social media that "Joe Biden replacing Donald Trump as President fills me with joy" and called Mr Trump a "dangerous clown".

During a speech on Wednesday at the right-wing Hudson Institute, Mr Lammy argued that maintaining strong transatlantic relations is crucial, regardless of the ruling US party.

Mr Lammy said he and Mr Trump could find "common cause," suggesting that as a "good Christian boy" and "small-c conservative," he shares some views with Republicans.

"You're going to struggle to find any politician in the Western world who hasn't had things to say in response to Donald Trump," he added.

Mr Trump has a long history of criticising European Nato members for not spending enough to support the alliance, relying on the US to shoulder the burden.

In February, he said he would "encourage" Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay its bills as part of the Western military alliance.

Nato estimates for 2023 suggest that Poland was the top spender, allocating 3.9% of GDP, which was more than twice the amount it had spent in 2022.

The US was in second place, spending 3.5%, which is about the same level as it has been spending for the past decade - but in cash terms dwarfs all other contributors.

Mr Lammy said the ex-president was "a leader whose attitude to European security is often misunderstood".

"I do not believe that he is arguing that the United States should abandon Europe," Mr Lammy added.

"He wants Europeans to do more to ensure a better-defended Europe.

"Were his words in office a little shocking? Yes, they were. Would I have used them? Probably not.

"But US spending on defence actually grew under President Trump, as did the defence spending of the wider alliance during his tenure."

Foreign Secretary David Cameron met with Mr Trump during a visit in April to discuss Ukraine with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

During an earlier visit, Lord Cameron angered many Republican conservatives by comparing US politicians who block new Ukrainian war funding to Nazi appeasers.

His comments prompted Republican congresswoman and Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene to tell Sky News: "David Cameron needs to worry about his own country and, frankly, he can kiss my ass."