Ex-head of U.K.'s intelligence service warns Trump election would put nation in danger

The former head of the UK's secret intelligence service has warned the election of Donald Trump in 2024 could put Britain at risk.

Sir Richard Dearlove, who headed MI6 between 1999 and 2004, told Sky News that Trump coming back to the White House would be "problematic" for the UK's national security due to his longstanding criticism of NATO.

According to Dearlove, the alliance standing behind Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and the "long-term behavior" of China are both issues that would be complicated by a Trump presidency.

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"You have to add a political threat, which I am worried about, which is Trump's re-election... which I think for the UK's national security is problematic," Dearlove said. "Because if Trump, as it were, acts hastily and damages the Atlantic alliance, that is a big deal for the UK."

"We've put all our eggs in defense terms in the NATO basket. If Trump really is serious about, as it were, changing the balance, I mean the American nuclear umbrella for Europe is, in my view, essential to Europe's security and defense," he said.

Trump was threatening to pull out of NATO as recently as this week, telling Fox News that NATO "took advantage of us on trade and then they took advantage of us on military protection."