I have never been so embarrassed by the unmitigated vulgarity our our sitting President.
3
There are two ways to build a european military: sticking to what exists already by collaborating on specific targets mostly to the south and the Middle East with the US, which cannot be considered as a viable nucleus in the short or even long run, and building something new aimed at defending the Union itself from external threats such as Russia. To be taken seriously from the latter, or from other similarly powerful entities, there must be nuclear deterrent. The problem here is Germany reluctance. If this reluctance happened to vanish considering the US quasi withdrawal, France would be undoubtedly ready to offer its strengthened own nuclear capabilities to reach continental credibility. I do not see any other means to build a credible independent military. Not sure it would please Russia, not so sure, if for other reasons, it would please the US either.
2
The 2014 Wales summit REaffirmed their commitment to spending 2% and set a deadline of a decade. The 2% spending commitment existed before 2014, but they acknowledged that some members were not meeting it and set a realistic deadline to catch up to their prior commitments by 2024. They did not set a NEW goal of 2% to be achieved in the future as this article implies. While I detest Trump, he is not pushing up a new deadline by demanding they spend 2% now, we have just cut these countries a lot of slack in the past. So saying the deadline is 6 years away as this article does is misleading, because while they tried to set a realistic goal for meeting the spending, the reality is they should have always been at that level. From the 2014 summit:
"Taking current commitments into account, we are guided by the following considerations:
Allies currently meeting the NATO guideline to spend a minimum of 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defence will aim to continue to do so. Likewise, Allies spending more than 20% of their defence budgets on major equipment, including related Research & Development, will continue to do so.
Allies whose current proportion of GDP spent on defence is below this level will:
halt any decline in defence expenditure;
aim to increase defence expenditure in real terms as GDP grows;
aim to move towards the 2% guideline within a decade with a view to meeting their NATO Capability Targets and filling NATO's capability shortfalls."
2
To be sure, Putin is a bad actor, in a league with Bashar al Assad, Khoumeni, and others. They are all murderers in the sense of extrajudicial killings. But, the USA also uses extrajudicial killing on members of radical ant-USA groups. All USA presidents, Obama, GWBush, BClinton, and DTrump have had a hand in such. The real questions are what constructive directions can we engage now, what can we envision, what is politically doable and not what is morally right. Get that, please! In international relations, “morraly right” is preferable but commonly not the reason for actions. Don’t think for a nanosecond that China cares more about morally right than it does about its national advantage. Trump is more bombastic but the others are equally amoral.
Trump: The Ugliest American.
8
Yes. But the Republican Party itself, iwith its decades of crude dog whistle politics and groveling at the feet of corporate donors and current silence and complicity is skeletal structure which
1
Yes. But the Republican Party, with its decades of crude dog whistle politics and groveling at the feet of corporate donors & hyper-selling of a need for military spending (to keep jobs in their districts) & its current complicity with Trump's undermining of civic & democratic norms, is the skeletal structure which allows this monstrosity to walk.
3
Article 5---an attack against one is an attack against all---is arguably the heart and soul of the NATO agreement. Only one nation has called upon its NATO allies to send troops in response to this article. That was after 9/11, and NATO troops are still in Afghanistan alongside U.S. forces.
9
You totally miss the point.
The purpose of NATO is to defend the member states from aggression from Russia.
Do you believe there is a real threat of aggression from Russia.
If you do then NATO is needed by the member States.
If European countries benefit from having NATO defend them from aggression from Russia shouldn't they pay their fair share to cover the cost needed to have that organization.
If these countries do not budget a fair amount then the USA ends up paying more then what they should be expected to pay.
We need them to pay more so we do not pay more than we should..
That is what Trump wants.
How can you disagree with that idea.
2
Ben, to ever think that what trump wants is "fair" or mutual beneficial dismisses his lifelong conduct in relationship with everyone he ever met.
4
So the crux is that the American pipeline thru Syria failed to materialize and the West is dependent on Russia as we were to SAUDI ARABIA, not terribly more abiding of human rights than Russia. If there is no alternative for germany to buy gas or oil just where does Trump think they should get it?
1
Between the way things in Europe have been moving towards populism, Trump's tariffs and his relentless assault on NATO, everything about what might charitably be called his foreign policy plays into Putin's hand: Destabilization everywhere. He's a train wreck.
7
The goal of the US, as defined by the Bush administration, was “all-spectrum dominance.” If that’s what you want, you have to pay for it. But don’t expect the rest of the world to try to play the same insane game.
1
Why would Trump want an increase in NATO spending when that would irritate his strongest ally, Vladimir Putin?
2
What we all saw today was truly shocking; a disgrace and not how you go about 'winning friends and influencing people'.
In less than 48 hours, bully boy will be sitting down for tea with our Queen. Now, that is inappropriate.
8
Why did she ever agree....
The Royals have no choice. It was Theresa May that offered the grand gesture and so soon into his presidency. Ill-advised and premature and her motives, to outdo Farage who at the time was being touted by Trump as the UK's ambassador to the US. Politics, what a horrible game.
1
(Respectfully) save your breath, Chancellor Merkel, Trump probably thinks it was Canada that occupied East Germany after the war. Right after they sacked and burned Washington D.C.
4
As with everything else he stands for, Trump is pushing obsolescence where it's no longer current or viable. He behaves as though warfare requires costly colossal weapons systems and massive armies. His presidency itself shows that if you want to overthrow a country, you don't need to fire a shot or put a boot on the ground. All you need to do is hack its systems and get it to believe your lies.
6
I read in The Times ( London ) ' German military shortcomings have become a national laughingstock with reports of one tank unit forced to use a broomstick as a gun and all six submarines out of service for repairs.
Auditors say the true picture is even worse . Dire shortages of weapons,spare parts and personnel were not properly declared to the Bundestag, the federal audit office said. '
Other highlights from The Times article states
' in May Der Spiegel reported that the Luftwaffe had only four combat ready Eurofighters out of 128 because of missile shortages and a problem with coolant.'
It seems like there is a real problem with the EUROPEAN's contribution to their own defence.
Just saying.......
2
Every G7 and/or NATO picture I've seen has Trump in the middle even tho he is taller and bigger than most and shd be on the 2nd or 3rd row....one more indication of his narcissism.
4
Trump is talking like a Mafia Don to NATO: Pay more and more protection money or bad things may happen to you from my buddy Vlad.
3
Don Trump is the idiot in the room during the NATO Breakfast. His gutter, bully, brash facedown of NATO leaders just shows that he fully does not understand the dynamics of directing world power.
Trump is clearly a fool; and, with him there is no light at the end of a miserable tunnel in hopes that Trump will ever grow up. “Germany is a captive of Russia.”
OK Don have your fun, but the real Truth is that Donald Trump is a captive of Putin- the Russian Puppet Master, just ask Don Trump!
9
European countries are fully aware that they need to spend more on defense, after the dream of a peaceful post-1989 Europe has vanished. We should definitely be more in charge of our own security. We're working on it.
But European countries probably would have met these self-declared objectives had not US banks (and borrowers) caused the 2006-2008 financial meltdown and the aftershocks, from which we are barely emerging.
In the meantime European countries will continue to spend more (and hopefully better) on healthcare, education and retirements than most others.
5
I am not an expert in strategic alliance or geo-political cross payments, but I do know that you can ask for something, even demand it, without presenting as a blowhard, bullying name caller, who, in effect, has no class and flips the bird.
It's not just what you say, it's how you say it.
Tony soprano had more finesse and better manners than mr. Trump.
Of course, it is not his own good name that he debases (I don't think he has one), or his own power that he squanders(absent the US bankruptcy code he would be powerless)
It is ours.
8
Looks like 45 is building a case in which he would declare dissolving NATO for lack of funds. Not sure if that is doable, but 45 never fails trying.
Congress, both chambers, have a say and could prevent such action, due to national security.
Clearly, 45 is unfit, and that is said in the absence of political bias or prejudice.
Since the Republican Party is and has been an enabler to the actions and policies of the forty-fifth POTUS, it is crucial for the GOP to lose control of Congress in the upcoming mid-term elections.
The looks on Kelly, Hutchison and Pompeo faces during the NATO meeting were priceless.
10
Almost thirty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, why NATO still exist? The US should leave NATO or help dissolve it.
Yeah, who needs partners and friends.
We're more bigly than that !
3
A brief search online suggests that Germany has an economy with a GDP of about US$ 3.65 Trillion.
Trump is all worked up over an $11 Billion pipeline. That amount represents 0.3 percent of Germany's annual GDP. To put it in terms the average person can relate to, if you make $100,000 a year, 0.3 percent is $ 300. That is not a major fraction of one's income. To suggest that Russia OWNS Germany over that small a fraction of their GDP is worse than nonsensical. It is DELUSIONAL.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Germany
Wikipedia says the following:
In 2009, Germany's total energy consumption (not just electricity) came from the following sources:[104] Oil 34.6%, Natural gas 21.7%, Lignite 11.4%, Bituminous coal 11.1%, Nuclear power 11.0%, Hydro and wind power 1.5%, Others 9.0%.
Germany's network of natural gas pipelines, on the other hand, is dense and well-connected. Imported pipeline gas comes mostly from Russia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Although gas imports from Russia have been historically reliable, even during the cold war, recent price disputes between Gazprom and the former Soviet states, such as Ukraine, have also affected Germany. As a result, high political importance is placed on the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline, running from Vyborg in Russia along the Baltic sea to Greifswald in Germany. This direct connection avoids third-party transit countries.[105]
4
This is unbelievable. Every day we see more attacks against our nation and our allies by Trump (and Putin).
I agree with the growing opinion that this is NOT the time for our past presidents, senators, representatives and other leaders to stay silent.
It's one thing to observe tradition and not to critique a sitting president on simple partisan policy differences during normal times, but Trump is clearly in debt to Putin and pushing a Russian agenda against the United States and European interests.
It's called treason -- and we need those with the ear of the public to speak out NOW! How can we turn the tide of propaganda and relentless attacks in our democracy if no one in a position of power is willing to push back?
10
Ask Donald Trump who is the biggest exporter of major arms in the world? In 2016, the U.S. was first in the global major arms trade, with Russia selling 30 percent fewer, and other countries running far behind. Of course he wants European countries to buy more arms. We're selling them.
7
I think that Trump and NATO should determine a price to be paid by Putin for what he did to the democracy; a big priceThis will demonstrate that Trump is not one of Putin's mignons and give some sort of common objective for the NATO members. All the Oligarchs'cashin western banks shall be forfeited and considered as a lump sum in "liquidated damages"; this will clean the slate from those monsters and teach a good lesson to Russia.
4
NATO has its problems and given that the likely targets of Russian territorial expansion are part of Europe it s a bit odd that the USA is by far the biggest contributor. But Trump is so incredibly boorish and rude, and his arguments are so poorly expressed it is embarrassing. He clearly does not understand anything except the dumbed-down-for-general-consumption bullet points that FOX news broadcasts. He does our country a great disservice by always being so obviously ill-informed, disinterested in the details, and belligerent towards anyone who has enough power to stand up to him or enough education to out-think him.
2
If I understand you you back what Trump is doing but you don't like the way he is doing it.
Obama tried to do it the way you think it should be done.
He wasn't boorush or rude
He did not succeed
Maybe to succeed you have to be boorush and rude.
I know the visceral loathing the GOP/Russians ginned up for Hillary Clinton, but seriously can you imagine Clinton courting dictators and rejecting our allies and leaving the country unrecognizable to our friends and patriots?
7
Trump has not done that.
He just wants them to pay their fair share.
Ben, fair in any form is not in trump's DNA! And whatever trump is doing - it is not MAGA! On the contrary, he (and his GOP enablers) are busy pushing America over the brink!
1
Typical Trump on display with our allies in Europe. Insults and destroys with no meaningful fix. His intention is simply to disrupt and gain an advantage out of the wreckage he inflicts. He trashed Obamacare but coudn't come up with a replacement. He trashed NAFTA but talks are at impasse. He lies about illegal immigrants being a threat and moves to imprison them en masse but winds up doing "catch and release" which is what his predecessors did to avoid the kind of humanitarian disaster Trump created.
Trump craves adulation more than anything else. He's like a spouse married to a practical and realistic partner who won't cater to his ego. So he caters to a base who will believe anything he says and adversaries who praise him and stroke his ego.
1
A much simpler solution: Congress should REDUCE the US dollar participation in NATO, to the level allies are willing to pay.
12
Or withdraw completely from NATO. Let the Europeans look after themselves. Two generations of dead Yanks saving Europe is enough.
3
Ah, but weapons are a big industry in the USA! Our high level of military equipment spending subsidizes our homegrown arms dealers and if other countries increase their spending much of that money will flow into American coffers. This isn’t about defense or Russia, it’s about a very lucrative industry.
4
The U.S. Military budget consumes approximately 4.7 percent of G.D.P. Russia, about 5 percent.
Our Generals say "Peace Through Strength". They get involved in many wars and are spread throughout the world claiming they are defending the nation there in other locations. The Congress has a history of closing bases here. I wonder why they are not stationed here with the American people.
Trump ridiculed European allies for not increasing their budget, claiming we are defending them. I would think about that.
Trump criticized Germany for being dependent on Russian energy, however, both nations being economically interdependent helps keep the peace as Russia would not want to lose a big customer and Germany would stay friendly with Russia to avoid interruption in the flow of natural gas. Fortunately, Germany is a pioneer in energy development and alternative energy generation with vast solar and wind resources. That is what we should be doing at an accelerated pace. We are hostages to the fossil fuels industry as long as Trump and the Republicans hold monopoly power.
I'm not naive. I know Russia is an aggressive danger to Europe and the United States, but military buildups cripple economies and and when people are overly arming their respective military's, it emboldens those military's to become aggressors to justify their empires, thus leading to more wars.
I believe in "Strength Through Peace". Expand alternative energy programs to ensure we are at peace.
8
"both nations being economically interdependent helps keep the peace as Russia would not want to lose a big customer"
I'm not entirely sure Ukraine would agree with you.
1
One subject that’s been overlooked in this debate is the impact of mass immigration from Middle Eastern countries to many NATO countries. Germany has borne a heavy burden in this area. The costs, financial, social and political have been enormous. It can be fairly argued that bearing these costs is a contribution to peace and order, especially when the immigration crisis was precipitated by the destabilization of Iraq following the US invasion. To quote Colin Powell’s comment on the eve of the invasion, “ if you break it, you own it”.
Sadly, the current President can’t be bothered to read history.
10
Great idea. Try to sell that to the American people.
The misguided Liberal experiment of open borders has caused such a mess in Europe that they deserve to pay less for defense.
Follow that up with your open borders demands for the US and the next election is a foregone conclusion.
4
The great “deal maker” only knows how to rub people the wrong way. Approaching a NATO conference he has all the diplomatic tact of a freight train. Where does he get off talking to our allies this way? The dust bin of history awaits this man.
12
I recently read that Greece has increased its military spending because of its concern about a conflict with Turkey. If push comes to shove, on which side will the remaining 27 NATO members stand?
3
OR, we could CUT our defense spending, and thus close the "debt gap" with which the traitor seems so obsessed. Why do we all need to keep increasing defense spending? THERE'S NO LOGIC TO THAT.
8
But why is Trump and the GOP massively raising our defense spending?
According to Trump we can't afford this anymore.
??
9
NATO should suspend all purchases from the US at this time, contracts notwithstanding, until they can figure out whether Trump lies or tells the truth. And that should be their position: a suspension of sales until they can decide if he is lying to them.
4
European nations should buy military equipment from the RUssians. What could go wrong?
It's apparent that liberals and the media supporting them automatically assumes Trump is wrong no matter what he does.
What evidence is there that everything Trump is saying about NATO is wrong? I imagine there isn't or it would have been published.
6
Umm.... ? The NY Times has fact checked his statements and published the results several times including in the article upon which you are commenting.
3
Who cares if Merkel rejected Trump’s assertion? What else would she do?
The question he posed is a reasonable one: if Russia is so formidable a military threat, why is Germany almost entirely dependent on Russian gas for winter heating of the frigid nation?
NATO exists for the benefit of the military industrial complex. It costs American taxpayers a vast amount. 36,000 US troops in Germany alone. The costs are staggering and we can’t afford it.
4
You, like so many, have swallowed Trump's words. Germany is not 'almost entirely dependent on Russian gas...' It's just another lie set out as fodder for Trump's ill informed base. The US could easily easily afford its levels of military spending if you cut out the vast amount of money US citizens spend arming yourselves against your fellow citizens. The US is a militarily aggressive nation and I for one would be glad to be rid of them from Europe.
3
Or perhaps the Europeans get the best of both worlds. As long as they have Uncle Same to protect them, they really aren't afraid of the Russian Bear and therefore do not have to spend enough to actually defeat the Russian Army if need be - after all, the Yanks will be there.
The US should leave NATO and let the Europeans look after themselves. Two generations of dead Yanks saving Europe from itself is enough.
Nothing that NATO members do will be enough for Trump. He doesn't understand anything that is not monetized immediately.
7
As a narcissist, Donald Trump isn't hampered by self-doubt, or what members of NATO think of him, or the toxic consequences which might result from his impulsive insults and threats. Instead, he believes he's perfect and knows more than anyone else. Thus he relies on his pugilistic gut instincts to guide him. None of that "you get more bees with honey" behavior for him. After all, being an insulting demeaning hurtful pugilist is what got him an electoral win. Punishment causes someone to change; success does the opposite. So without an understanding that different behaviors are required for differences in context, what we keep seeing is what we will keep seeing. And more than NATO, or anything else, this unfit for office dysfunctional man is hoping it will get him a second electoral win. Winning is all he cares about. And, in his mind, the ends justify the means.
6
I would advise the NATO members to develop more nuclear missiles of their own. Through such proliferation they will be less dependent on the US.
3
And then, an individual will tweet that he/she did not expect this level of "backstabbing." Said individual will remove their approval through their foreign department while running away from the event -- confrontation not being their forte when on the wrong end of the stick.
NATO was created to counter Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe. Nazi domination in Poland, Czechoslovakia, etc. was replaced by Soviet domination. The weakened nations of Western Europe were clearly in their sights.
NATO not only prevented World War III with the Soviet Union, but it also prevented World War III from being fought between England/France and Germany. Had things been left to chance, it is entirely possible yet another war would have been fought between European powers.
Intermingling the economies (EU) and militaries (NATO) of Europe has brought unprecedented prosperity to the people of Europe. It is imperfect, but it has stopped the generational cycle of war that had existed on that continent for all of history.
However, the original mission of NATO is as relevant in the era of Putin's Russia as ever. Russia's invasion and occupation of Crimea says all you need to know about Russian aggression. So if NATO is still necessary, then the member nations need to honor their commitments to it. They need to dedicate the financial, manpower, and hardware commitments necessary for NATO to be a viable answer to Russian aggression.
I hate to say it, but Trump is right about this. For too long the European nations have been glad to watch America bankrupt itself on excessive military spending, assuming the U.S. will rush to their aide should a shooting war start.
6
I doubt Europeans imagine the US will rush to their aid should a shooting war start if the experience of two world wars is anything to go by. America has bankrupted itself on excessive military spending? Really? Bellicose nonsense straight out of the Trump playbook. If you spent less of your hard earned dollars arming yourselves to the teeth to 'defend' yourselves from each other then maybe you wouldn't be 'bankrupted'.
Trump sows chaos with his intemperate, mis-informed remarks because he can. He is entertaining himself to the detriment of the rest of the world. The guy is a stain on common sense and democracy.
2
This constant whinging about being 'ripped off' and 'taken advantage of' is a feature of Trump's psychology, not of reality. Are we really going to break our most important alliances because he has a belligerent attitude and shallow knowledge base?
8
It really is quite simple to Trump. He wants to treat the USA as if it is a for profit business; worse, he thinks it is his own business. Even if he was succeeding , which he is definitely not, it is wrong. If this is part of the way his mind works, I would want Michael Bloomberg doing it (I am a Democrat, and lived in NYC from the last of Mayor Ed Koch years through the 7th (of 8) year of President Obama. Giuliani, who was called "America's Mayor" after 9/11 (which I watched from the roof of my office downtown) was a good prosecutor. As a mayor, not so much. Count Dracula could have been mayor during 9/11 and the country would have loved him. I should mention I lost 2 people on 9/11 and 1 was quite close: a highly decorated FDNY Captain; I saw him every week for over 10 years. The other was 18 year boy; the son of a dear friend, who was the cook at a Mexican restaurant across the street from my office we ate at twice a week. His son was working in the "Windows on the World" Restaurant on the 106th floor of Tower 1. He had just gotten the job a week before. Apologies for digressing. My main point is he should be treating America as a non=profit business, since he stand's on his Hi IQ business acumen. Obviously things are not in the least this simple. Now that Scott Pruitt became this week's whipping boy (thank god); now lying on the pile of ex-Cabinet members (12 so far?, his replacement is the former major lobbyist for the coal industry! He's the head of the EPA! Insanity.
2
Trump attacks aliies with tariffs;praises Putin?
Congress just passed a resolution to curtail Trump's imposition of Tariffs; It means nothing. GOP is gutless; it does not stop Trump and allows them to say to voters "I tried'; but not too hard. Vote out GOP for change. Ray Sipe
1
Putin's avatar.
3
The photo says it all:
NATO LEADERS: “We have a commitment to work together in mutual cooperation and a plan to deal with the global problems ahead of us.”
TRUMP: “Look at me. I have a red necktie.”
2
Dear Mr. Trump,
For once in your life, tell the truth. Tell the NATO countries your intentions. In your one-on-one meetings with Putin, you will endorse his acquisition of Crimea, the future occupation of the rest of Ukraine and the Baltic Nations. You will let Putin know your feelings toward Andrea Merkel. That you long for the time when East Germany was under the thumb of Russia.
Let the American people know you will privately tell Vlad that his intelligence agencies are right and ours are made up of buffoons. Check in and ensure that the meddling in the 2020 midterms is as successful as 2016. Let him know how much the Republican Party is on his side.
Oh, and don't forget to thank him for not releasing those photos, videos, and all those real estate and money laundering records.
5
Obama was President when Russia invaded the Ukraine.
What did Obama do to defend the Ukraine.
Nothing.
What did NATO do.
Nothing.
Trump is just acknowledging those facts and understands that NATO serves no purpose.
If these European nations believe they need to be defended from Russia they have to do it.
2
OK Ben, thanks for making it clear to them.
Trump is always pushing a "New York Tough Guy " persona. Most New Yorkers know that he's not but he is quite the actor . His confrontational style might be better dealt with his NATO counterparts actually throwing it in his face and quite publicly his "suckling up" to Putin . Yeah , I know, that'll not happen because the European leaders are practiced in class and diplomacy . Trump knows neither . Although I worked and resided across the river (NJ) I LIVED in NYC and observed Trump's shenanigans for thirty five years . GEEZUS GRIPES , what a boob! And that's the nicest thing that I can say about Trump.
3
I often wonder if Deadbeat Donald tries to be ironic?
Perhaps it is all a joke.
4
The principle lesson of the 20th Century (with its two world wars and a prolonged cold war) was that failing to ensure European security is an invitation to mass slaughter. Think of Crimea as the Sudetenland and Eastern Ukraine as Alsace Lorraine. Then you can begin to understand the danger posed by Putin and his henchmen. The western powers are courting a new war if we accept Russian adventurism on Europe's eastern frontier and if we don't rearm appropriately to confront this danger.
Currently, NATO is in no position to fight a war or to repel an invasion from the east. Talk of assembling 30 battalions in 30 days is ridiculous. This represents one or two divisions at most. To oppose the Red Army during the Cold War, the United States alone fielded VII Corps (four heavy divisions with additional armored cavalry, artillery, aviation and engineering support units). So, two divisions to oppose Russian shenanigans is an invitation to trouble.
The UK and Germany have permitted their armed forces to shrink to ridiculous sizes. In his history of World War II, Winston Churchill subtitled his first chapter his first volume as "How the English-speaking peoples through their unwisdom, carelessness, and good nature allowed the wicked to rearm." He described the mistakes that allowed the Nazis to rearm, threaten their neighbors and eventually attack their neighbors. Europe should take heed.
6
Is it really good business for the ultra-right wing billionaires like the Kochs and Mercers, who own the Republican Congress, to allow Trump to destroy US credibility in the world? Despite the billions in taxes they are personally saving, is it worth the long term economic and political chaos that the ignorant mad dog Trump is creating around the globe?
9
But our NATO partners are convinced that hurling empty wine bottles and overdone bagatelles will stop Russian or Muslim tanks!
Maybe this is why they are ruining their European peninsula with all the hordes of unknown men from points south - to make Europe so unapplealing that no one will invade them? ! ? !
President Trump is more popular in most of those countries that Obama ever was, or their own ''leaders.'' The everyday European still credits the robust United States as their best hope, personally and as a member of a society.
OBTW, someone mentioned Scandinavian socialism as a wonderful success. But taxes START at more than half what people make there, esp. Denmark, and young families cannot AFFORD adding a child to the family.
2
"with all the hordes of unknown men from points south - to make Europe so unapplealing that no one will invade them?"
Trump has made racism and bigotry the norm for many that they are now comfortable revealing who they really are.
3
Actually there is absolutely no fact in your statement. Obama still is the most popular president since JFK, the Danes are the most happy people in Europe. And yes, we have our shares of racists here that you'd feel very comfortable with. But we don't have the hordes of subhumans of your or your lout in chief's fantasies.
2
Trump played the press-covered breakfast to his base, providing easily digestible propaganda clips for Fox's showtime with Trump.
What Merkel once said of Putin applies to Trump in spades.
"... he has to do this – to prove he's a man. ... He's afraid of his own weakness."
https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/12/europe/putin-merkel-scared-dog/index.html
oh! to be a fly on that wall for the private meeting that followed, after which Trump declared, in a complete turnaround, that Germany is 'tremendous'.
3
he's hilarious. looks so out of place. a stooge among world leaders. a tired game show host pretending to fit in while totally out of his depth.
4
NATO needs to spend money defending itself from what???...DONALD TRUMP? we alls should defend ourselves from TRUMP...
NATO's money is better spent on helping human beings rather than on the military industrial complex which benefits no one but a select group of billionaires that frankly dont need another dime in their pockets
5
I wonder if there is a Freudian strait in President Trump’s insistence on blaming the Germans for all imaginable things. Didn’t his family come from Germany? It must be tough for a weak man to see how that European country is being led by a calm and strong woman.
10
Dear European Allies,
Let the record show that the majority of Americans, even though we were unable to prevent this baffoon's election, are embarrassed and enraged by him, his presence in the white house, the way he trashes our friends, allies, and neighbors and elevates despots of which he aims to become one.
Our democracy has entered dark times, and it will get worse before it gets better. Don't be drawn into his mental games. He is a no-nothing who thinks the whole world is a game show.
Do not cave.
4
They weren't laughing at us before but they are now. It's laughter similar to Bugs Bunny saying "what a maroon, what a sucker, what a heel".
They know that, like Bugs, they're probably going to get it in the end or the next frame but they're going to distance themselves from the fascists. Their base isn't as gullible nor as fractured as Trump's base.
Of course, the joke's not on Trump - it's on us - and whatever happens or doesn't happen to Trump we'll be stuck with the bill.
2
This is the so-called president that stiffed workers, lured investors into buying stock after he stripped out all the dividends for himself and filed bankruptcy six times.
This man is an embarrassment to the majority in our country. Please look past his term and know that we will try harder to elect a non-moron this next go around.
5
As Carol Burnett said in one of the Eunice skits: We could have had Bernie Sanders, and look at what we ended up with? Next time, we'll elect another crook, just one with a lot more class than the current one. This country is like a battered wife, who can't leave their abusive spouse, the two party duopoly.
Democratic leaders in Senate and House condemn DT's remarks. Where are the cowardly and traitorous republicans - I know, busy trying to confirm a SCOTUS nominee who will put his thumb on the scales of justice or dancing to the tunes of their rich donors in the hope of keeping their majority in the mid-term. This is democracy? This is patriotism? This is conservatism? No - it is called pure greed and they are all feeding at the trump trough - Oink.
2
“I’m not a puppet. You’re the puppet!”
9
Besides the sheer menace of Trump's and trumpists' neither knowing nor caring about what happed the last time this country turned its back on Europe and Asia, blew off the rise of fascisms, sneered at desperate refugees , deregulated at home and handed the wealthiest billions, one wonders exactly why anybody'd look at Trump's behavior and expect the willing help of the people and the countries we need to stand with us.
Whether you figure that it's about time we started bullying everybody, or "think"--like the fool I saw on "FOX&Friends," this morning--that this is just the art of the deal in action, this is plain stupid.
Day'll come when you'll regret all this. Of course, you'll prolly just handle it by blaming liberals, Obama, black people, immy-grants, the usual suspects.
Here's to your getting a clue.
2
Isn't that just darling -- the photographer, preserving for all posterity, little Trumpty as he was snoring.
4
Who, other than a street thug, demands money for protection?
4
Trump behaves like any other coward who likes to hit and then hide behind someone braver than he is. He is hiding from those he has been harassing and insulting. Of course anyone who has bothered studying his bizarre antisocial behavior already knows that what lies behind his loud mouth is a yellow belly coward.
8
Dear New York Times: When are you going to admit the Donald is full of crazy? I suppose he could rip his clothes off and run around the South Lawn and you would say "Trump is exhibiting behavior some people are calling "strange".
It's way past time for you to stop being so timid!
2
Trump spews hate; negativity and greed. trump wants NATO to pay more; yet America is the main beneficiary of NATO power. America fights wars around the World. America sells weapons around the World.America has turned into a selfish bully boy who has to have it's way. "The Ugly Americn" is just not a title of a book.Trump attacks NATO while praising Dictators. Trump might just bring the entire World crashing down about us. Ray Sipe
5
If you are right then there is no reason there should be a NATO.
You are actually agreeing with Trump.
It is people who are against Trump who believe NATO has a purpose.
If it does have a purpose then the European countries should pay more.
This should be obvious.
1
Trump is the Trojan Horse that the likes of White Supremacists, KKK and other "deplorables" have used this idiot to infiltrated the power-house into systematically deconstructing the world order. It is going to cost America the leadership which it has so glumly paraded over the past century. It is indeed the beginning of the end of its empire.
7
Once I was able to get past the garbled syntax of this comment, I found the comment itself interesting.
Perhaps the Germans should raise the rent for all the bases we have there. Does the Donald really not understand the symbiotic nature of alliances. The Europeans should just accept the fact that the US is fickle and react accordingly by cutting us out of their lives as much as possible.
1
Those who called Trump's election the Barbarians at the Gate had no idea how understated they were now that the Barbarians are in. Diplomacy over decades of common cause and blood sacrifice is being shredded by a sociopath who is reduced to defense by scorched-earth offense as he flails desperately, way over his pay grade and irrelevant but for the nuclear codes given him by 29% of the US electorate.
Trump has no clue that the courtesy and deference he's accorded as US President is a direct result of the role we seized after WW2 as global hegemon. We wanted a bulwark against Russia and China so we recruited Western Europe to be our body-shields against the Soviets (with Germany hosting 34 US military facilities), and permanent forward bases in the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Indian Ocean, Kuwait, Bahrain et.al., to contain China. We also maintain weapon and munition stocks in numerous countries.
It's reasonable to say the US weaponized much of the world for its own security as well as to protect its access to raw materials essential as the world's reference economy.
Our other agenda was to block Germany and Japan from re-militarizing with their own ambition as alphas, like the US, to do as they want without having to be nice.
The lie was the world wanted us to protect them when what we wanted was to dominate them. Worked well for both, with a few nasty hiccups.
NATO should wise up and deal directly with Putin. Trump's just a middleman on commission.
3
Question for all the Trump bashers and defenders of the Europeans:
Why won't such good "allies" as the Europeans meet their very meager NATO spending targets? They have not done so for years. Is that your idea of allies? People who sponge off the US?
2
Trump apparently is too much of a rube to know that oil is fungible -- priced and sold on a world market, regardless of the particular supplier...
1
He should realize that Germany cannot afford our oil because trump wants more for oil sold to an ally. The US couldn’t ship oil to Germany cheaper than they can buy “locally”. Maybe he should make his good buddies in Saudi Arabia sell oil cheaper to Germany so he can claim Germany owes him for more than protection. He is only looking for deals that make him a winner. Then he lies saying “he has a great relationship” with Ms. Merkel. Hope she told him what he really is in German with no translator.
So, to recap: you think Germany should get its energy from (more distant) USA and that it should devote 4% of its budget to the military, preferably buying from the US - have I understood correctly, 45? You don't want NATO countries to do more, you want them to become US colonies.
6
Why shouldn't they fund NATO to defend their nation from Russia.
How are the NATO countries becoming a colony by budgeting money towards NATO.
If he wanted to colonize them he would make them more dependent on the USA's military.
Trump is doing the opposite.
He wants to make them responsible for their own defense.
It's about time.
That's not a recap.
That's an attitude, and kind of a hostile one at that.
And its about time the US fought its own wars, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, without requesting that other nations sacrifice their people for misguided US policy.
NATO is needed to defend Germany from Russia.
Germany is dependent on Russia for energy.
Whenever it wants, Russia can pull the plug on Germany.
So, what's the point of NATO.
3
One would assume that Trump has to know that NATO leaders are neither as gullible as his supporters nor at all willing to tolerate his obsessive need for validation as are his cabinet and white house staff.
But, perhaps this assuming too much.
2
It's amusing to watch the outrage over Trump's being Trump. Did people think he would suddenly become someone else just because he stood in front of NATO members? Demanding that Trump change is like banging one's head against the wall and demanding the wall move.
2
Having lived in the US for a year, I am shocked by the amount of aggression and hatred against Europe. Later this year, I will travel the southern US for three weeks. I must say, reading many of the comments here cools down my excitement significantly. If so many NYTimes readers thing this way - I don't want to imagine what to expect in Trump/Fox News country.
3
Liberals think people should pay their "fair share" when it come to taxes. But when it comes to spending Europe's fair share on military security, they feel they US should pick up their slack.
3
This has nothing to do with actually money spent on defense; its the constant propaganda and brainwashing technique Trump has always known how to do to keep people distracted to what is really going on; the dismantling of U.S. standing in the world- on the homefront and internationally- that no one will trust our country, believe in its will to back democratic ideals; cripple our defenses and our Constitutional government and that we will really stand back while Russia invades Europe and other countries again. Its what Putin demands of him as a Troll and he fulfills every wish. We have a morally insane President that uses his Treasonous Behavior to test how far he can go, yet our society just can't come to that conclusion on its own. Want our government back...there's only one route now and if we dont take it soon, it will be too late once another "turncoat" Supreme Court justice lands in the seat that will take away prosecuting any corporation or government official for any crime and House Republicans in the same boat of taking Russian money (like Scott in Florida allowing investments of Florida Pension in Russian companies). We the People will no longer exist unless something is done to stop the slide into dictatorship soon.
3
trump is not a man of his word: please note his abrogation of the Iran nuclear agreement. He is Putin-puppet; whatever that Russian has on him, must be appalling, indeed.
The senators who took a jaunt to Moscow over the independence Day weekend were seeking political donations. Thanks to Citizens United, anonymous sources can, do, and did, contribute to PAC's.
Remember the names of the venal senators, republicans all, who made the trip to beg for campaign funds: Shelby (SC), Kennedy (LA), Thune, Hoeven, Daines, Johnson(Wisconsin). So all you constituents, you whose fathers and grandfathers and now mothers and sisters and wives... fought in WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq....feeling the love for these treacherous politicians?
3
NATO is the big waste of money and only good for defense contractors. Defending Europe against what evil while a million poor refugees march into those nations and take over towns and cities without a shot being fired. NATO will do nothing to stop this unarmed human wave of poor. WWII is over and China is laughing all the way to the bank.
1
US military has 800 bases in 80 countries. We are the world's
largest arms manufacturers and sellers. Europe puts up with our many bases, and Israel is strategically and in terms of Kissinger's "realpolitik" an American military buffer zone, one huge base, at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Why we pay them rent in the form of foreign aid. Imagine: Germany
having ten large military bases on American soil. France having ten. Saudi Arabia two (to protect its real estate holdings
in NYC. How would Americans feel to have that imposition on our soil? Say, a huge British airfield outside Desmoine?
NATO countries don't owe us anything; our contractors own our politicians with money that comes from arms sales to NATO. They are our buffers.
6
Europe puts up with those bases because they want them if they were not there the EUROPEANS would have to build them.
We are therefore doing them a favor.
I think we should get out of Europe and only go where we are wanted.
You mention Israel.
Do you know America has no bases in Israel.
This is because they do not rely on the American military to defend themselves.
If Israel can do it then so can the Europeans.
Given the multitude of bankruptcies and stiffed vendors in his past life, the old boy certainly knows a thing or two about delinquencies. Apparently though, when it is him delinquent, we are expected to overlook that history. Once again, he is the poster-boy for hypocrisy.
3
Gotta buy them weapons, keep them arms makers rolling in dough. And guess who they are? They is us.
4
It is you, joe 6-pack American....ONLY IF YOU ARE A SHAREHOLDER or perhaps an employee....otherwise crickets. The corporations are not paying taxes....remember trumps gift to the wealthy and big corporations and recently he has been mouthing off about more corporate tax cuts. So the benefits of the military industrial complex to the average USA citizen would appear to be limited. It would be interesting to see stats on who is benefitting...bet access to the information will be very murky.
Major European NATO powers like France and Germany should spend more on defense, particularly given Putin's aggressive posture in places like Ukraine. Any future problems in places like the Baltic, Poland, or deeper inside Ukraine will be a lot closer to them than the US. They need to be ready to respond.
But like on so many issues Trump is like an idiot trying to fix a watch that is running slow by hitting it with a sledgehammer. Trump only has two modes when it comes to diplomacy: insult or pandering. Neither of which is going to do much to influence our allies. The US has the luxury of funding our rather extravagant defense budget by massive debt without too many consequences (so far) because of advantages like the dollar being the world's currency and having the world's largest economy. Other countries don't have that, and it's going to take some leadership (not insults or pandering) to get them to spend more on potential problems that may or may not arise.
1
Has Trump floated the idea yet of Russia being invited to join NATO?
3
Please please indict Trump, revoke bail, & place him on house arrest. If done ,his passport will be taken away. Oh, please place court order on any discussion of the case by any litigants. Impeach.
2
Journalist Thorsten Denkler had an idea on Twitter: how about, in regards to Trump's ridiculous 4% demand, Germany demands that the United States raise its contributions to development aid to match Germany's 0.7% of GDP? From America's 0.18%, that is. The Crétin-in-Chief owes us. You know, since that is totally how development aid and NATO contributions work, like the good old blood-soaked colonizers we are, who determine the fate of the rest of the world on pubescent whims.
1
How amusing. He complains about our allies ( soon to be former allies ) for not paying their fair share into NATO, which is cheating our taxpayers. In reality what is cheating our taxpayers are his numerous trips to Mar-a-Largo to play golf. Then there are his taxes......where are they....what is he hiding? How wonderful it would be to have a decent, caring President, instead of this one who, when asked when will all those children be reunited with their parents responds with one of his rants saying they shouldn't have come here in the first place. How heartless. Our country is being destroyed by him and his cohorts.
4
NATO is paying more
NATO pledges to pay even more
Trump wins
1
No longer obsolete?
2
I'll just say Angela Merkel's face in the "family photo" speaks volumes.
4
Yet another lie from the Liar in Chief: Today, while scolding our NATO allies, Trump boasted that the U.S. pays 90% of the organization's dues.
Try again, prez.
The U.S. pays approximately 20% of NATO's dues.
15
It feels like Trump is the stupid player in the the board game Risk. He's the guy who makes treaties then breaks them, overextends himself trying to hang on to a country, then quits when he sees he won't "win". No one wants to play Risk with that guy. When will our NATO allies not want to play real Risk with Trump?
14
It looks like Kelly, Mattis, Hutchinson and Pompeo are learning how to play the game of Trump. Trump reacts only to his trumpkin followers. Trump's staff doesn't want to get crushed between Trump and his trumpkins. Thus, his staff pushed him to sign the declaration. His staff had to perform well enough to induce *some* feeling of credibility in intelligent watchers of this meeting.
And Trump speaks of NATO members' picking up more of the burden of defense spending, implying that Trump has burdened Americans with his defense spending.
3
The look on Kay Bailey Hutchison's face during Trump's rant says it all.
10
I am ashamed, deeply ashamed.
Look at his smug face. What a plague on our country.
44
Trump must have a monetary interest in this. Perhaps donors or cronies have huge quantities of stocks in the military industrial sector.
12
To some degree, I agree with Trump that Europe should allocate more funds for defense than they do. How much more is a matter of dispute. The US sets global commitments for itself on its own, so it is unfair to expect other countries to follow us on that path.
The problem is that Trump seems more interested in undermining the transatlantic alliance than in actually addressing a few budget issues that can be negotiated among allies. This is suspicious behavior and has the potential to damage our collective defense. No one as adequately explained why we should be having such public feuds with our longstanding allies, not only in Europe but around the world, while cozying up to dictators and other nefarious characters such as Putin. Why the US defense and intelligence establishment tolerates this is quite a mystery.
11
I appreciate other commenters who point out specific distortions and lies. For myself, though, Trump's and McConnell's lies and distortions have become such a massive pile of you-know-what that it seems like a waste of time to counter them specifcally. I know that's not really true. I know truth *always* matters enough to keep repeating it. However, really, anyone who doesn't get it by now never will. I guess the value in repeating it is perhaps for the people who barely get it, so they don't backslide.
9
Many people have commented here so I won't repeat what has been said. I merely want to point out certain ironies as I see them.
In the picture of world leaders, Trump stands alone looking dumpy and unkempt with that terrible hair do. He does not fit in with the others who look relaxed and somewhat fit.
Aside from that minor observation is this: why does a man who knows little to nothing about history, especially regarding the NATO alliance get off criticizing those who lead countries deeply affected by war?
What is the burden this country is carrying? We are the richest nation in the world and we spend more on our military, mostly as a pork barrel for many politicians' states. I'm all for providing jobs but the emphasis on military occupation and training, etc. overtakes what we spend on modernizing this country's healthcare, infrastructure and education.
Why would any leader follow us when clearly we are represented by an inept so-called leader. Europe owed us a great deal years ago but they have stepped up whenever we needed support.
To believe or follow Trump is foolish and embarrassing. He is out of his depth and looks to Putin to save him and legitimize him.
How truly sad this is. We cannot sit by and watch this. Vote like your life and country depend on it. It does.
35
For all his bluster and invective, his inferiority complex is on show at meetings like this. This is why he does offensive first. He has nothing of value to contribute. Despite this, he must learn to control himself. Today was a horror show and an unnecessary waste of time.
Someone is “captive to Russia” and it’s not Angela Merkel. It can be hard to identify the projection amid so much belittling, crudity and lies, but it’s worth the effort.
13
All one has to do to figure out 45 is to watch what he calls his rivals/enemies, i.e. everyone who isn't his lackey. The projection is stratospheric.
2
The biggest arms dealer in the world!
As the world's largest exporter, the United States also has the largest global weapons manufacturing industry.
5
The defense budget is a payoff by every President. War is absolutely obsolete and a truly devastating impediment to progress. It is only touted as necessary by those who seek votes from the already frightened. A useless waste of resources which would be much better spent to actually, not fictionally, make America great.
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to be gained by the use of fictional scenarios necessitating military expenditure. A totally false narrative used to milk as much money and stoke as much fear as needed to keep the dollars rolling in.
It is absolutely beyond my ability to accept the hypocrisy and venality of this or any administration which has advanced the need for our bloated military budget as well as beyond my limited reason that my fellow citizens who are not certifiably insane or totally moronic buy into this madness.
That anyone considered to be in their right mind, let alone with a modicum of sense, thinks any war, fought anywhere, has any value to those beyond the ruling class, tells me they are not even remotely attached to reality.
Why do these representatives of the people of the world have the idea that literal military confrontation solves or has ever solved any problem? The only response which makes any sense is that they know to the person it does not and it is only an acceptable pretense to buoy sagging economies with the promise of spoils.
It has been this way for several millenia and I don't expect any change from this crop.
4
Trump's right about NATO being obsolete. America's future lies with Russia, not the stale old socialist countries of Europe.
5
Rolf, you are good for a laugh! Ever read much about the KGB?
I guess murdering any critics of the government in Russia does
not faze you. So you have no problems with Putin running America
then. Well since you are not attached to having any rights or freedoms,
and only want to serve dictators, you are just what Trump and Putin
want, slaves with no minds of their own. Enjoy!
1
Right because Russians have it so good.
1
Stale and old is how I would describe Russia.
I was up at 3 AM or 4 AM (Eastern) watching the breakfast meeting broadcast live.
Trump acted like the ignoramus that he is. In particular he repeated himself about three times on the topic of "Russia totally owns Germany."
The Europeans should have responded by saying
"Since you repeated three times your comments about what you think and asked us to would respond, I will answer you three times:
1. Russia does not own Germany. A gas pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Germany makes Russia economically dependent on Germany, not the other way around. It is like the old saying: "If you owe the bank $100 the bank owns you. If you owe the bank $1 billion, you own the bank."
2. Russia does not own Germany. A gas pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Germany makes Russia economically dependent on Germany, not the other way around. It is like the old saying: "If you owe the bank $100 the bank owns you. If you owe the bank $1 billion, you own the bank."
3. Russia does not own Germany. A gas pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Germany makes Russia economically dependent on Germany, not the other way around. It is like the old saying: "If you owe the bank $100 the bank owns you. If you owe the bank $1 billion, you own the bank."
What else would you like to know, Donnie?"
15
Doing Putin's work, destroying US power and influence.
The end of the American epoch.
13
So now it's epoch? What was it when democrats were caterwauling about the end of our country because the election was illegitimate? Truth to power?
1
The New World Order
The NWO is making its presence felt. Comprised of Evangelical Americans, Likud Israelis and Sunni Muslims (e.g. those living in Saudi Arabia), it leaves no room for those who still consider themselves allies of the US. Trump's actions in Brussels (and recently towards Canada) show a man distancing himself and the NWO from former allies. So one now hears Germany and Canada disparaged while Israel and Saudi Arabia are loved up.
It will be interesting to see whether or not the NWO allows Russia to join. We'll see what happens over the next few weeks.
7
Please ask yourself these few questions:
What did Moses lead the Israelites/Jews out of? (Not simply the name of the modern nation-state, but the structure then existing).
What did Christ overcome with Love? (hint, it happened in Roman times)
What was the structure of Britain when the American Revolution was undertaken by our founders?
If you answered EMPIRE to any of these questions, I would feel joy in bringing up and reminding you of these fairly serious historical events which seem to strangely occur every few millennia.
"Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it."
George Santayana.
So the question could well be, are we likely to be as good or better than Moses, Jesus, Jefferson, and MLK?
4
So let me get this straight, Trump wants Europe to spend more in defense to counter Russia? Trump is pointing out that European nations dependency on Russian energy is a problem? One has to assume Putin does not appreciate Trump's positions on these matters.
2
I suspect that Putin couldn't be happier. His goal is to discredit and dismantle NATO, and Trump is doing just that. His "tough talk" about Russia was a pathetically transparent attempt to make it look like he isn't Putin's puppet. I wouldn't be surprised if Putin himself handed him the script. The proof will be in the Putin, so to speak, when Trump sits down with him next week. I predict much fawning will ensue, with a few "tough" but minor objections to make it look real.
I deeply appreciate and admire Merkel. I appreciate and respect Trudeau. May and Macron are not such very bright lights as the first two, but they have smarts and strength and we can rely on them. Domestically, I am with Schumer and Pelosi. They are good, strong people. There is much good to be said about all of these. But I wish we had Churchill now. He would pop Trump like a balloon.
14
The U.S., the world’s biggest exporter of weapons and explosives, increased its sales between those two periods by 25%.
The United States supplied arms to as many as 98 states worldwide, accounting for more than a third of global weapons exports.
10
You are doing an excellent job of normalizing Mr. Trump's behavior by downplaying the deliberately inflammatory message he is sending at this meeting.
The Times has been reporting on Mr Trump for many decades now, Surely you know the value of his signature on a document.
9
Nice photo: eyes closed with no one willing to smile at him.
Parents who have run their children's birthday parties no the situation.
9
Anyone who thinks that European members of NATO spending more means that US defense spending will go down and we will save money ...
"I have some beautifully fresh Trump Steaks to sell you. They really are the most beautiful steaks. Best ever. Believe me. But you know you can't get these steaks in Europe because they have the highest tariffs. It's not right. Not right.
Yeah, that's right. You can't get any US made things in Germany. That's because all they do is buy Russian oil. We don't need Russian oil but I could get a great deal next week if I wanted to. Best deal. Believe me.
But you know Saudi's have oil. I like the Saudi's. We have oil too. Germany wishes they had oil like we do. We need to drill for more of our oil. We would, you know, if we weren't spending so much for NATO. But it's all that previous guys fault. And the Germans. Don't have oil. Won't pay their share. Our miners could be back at work right now if we weren't paying for NATO."
The Donald Trump thought process: two neurons playing tag.
Dear Europe: keep your defense spending where it is. Maybe some day we will realize that the correct answer is for us to spend less, not Europe spending more. Then we could afford decent health care ... or something.
10
The military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned us about must really be happy right now. More military spending means more profits. It's really a simple equation. There's no need for further analysis or nuance. Profits over people has won the day.
We progressives on the left will ALWAYS keep fighting for the little guy - the working class. We can't help it because it's in our DNA. We will keep fighting till our last breath. Hope lives and the dream shall never die - Ted K
5
A lot of what he's throwing at Germany can bounce off of it and stick onto him. Not the obvious Russian thing; while it has been implied by connections between people close to Trump and Russian operatives, it has not (yet?) been proven in any measurable way that Trump is in Putin's pocket. However, what he says about the pipeline-- that a former chancellor being involved is inappropriate-- can be applied directly to deals his children and Jared are making.
2
4% of GDP? The US doesn’t even do that (currently 3.5%). That by itself shows that Trump is a malevolent ‘partner’ in NATO. One question I have is how all the US military installations in Germany figure into the financial calculation. That is sovereign German territory, and I hope that Germany is taking an enormous and legal credit for ceding that territory to US use. After all, Trump would not provide space in Trump Tower for a German consulate rent-free.
15
So Merkel didn't deny that depending on Russia for a large fraction of Germany's energy needs is a problem? She deflected with the typical "progressive" emotional response.
2
Germany doesn't rely on Russia for a "large portion of its energy needs:
"Germany's energy mix: about 40% coal, more than 30% renewables, less than 20% gas and 10% nuclear."
“Typical ‘progressive’ emotional response?” I think you’re offering a “typical” trump apology, one that willfully ignores how a skilled statesperson’s tactful but firm, fact-based statements contrast with trump’s ignorant bellicosity. Where energy comes from is an issue for many countries, not just Germany. Merkel responded to trump—not by debating wars, environmental degradation, profiteering, and a score of other issues related to the question of where countries get their energy— but by politely pointing out the contrast between her own experience living in a country actually captive to the USSR, and modern, united Germany’s current status as a sovereign nation, the latter insultingly and incorrectly disputed by trump. That she did so in a way that (hopefully) would keep trump from throwing his rattle out of his crib is to her credit.
Of Germany and Trump, only one is "controlled by Russia". And it isn't Germany. Once more, yet again Trump is denigrating our allies, demeaning and insulting them, while praising Putin as "fine". It is increasingly more clear that Trump's actual agenda, whatever lies he spews, is to degrade and diminish the United States international prestige, influence, and stature. Trump is a continuing 'clear and present danger' to the United States national security.
13
I dunno how it will ever be possible to get Trumpists to notice that we don't spend anything like our whole military budget on NATO, let alone see that three or four percent of our total GNP ain't exactly going to break the bank.
After all, they're pretty much the same people--including Trump, by the way--who were Just Fine with throwing five thousand or so American lives and $2 trillion at Iraq, which never attacked us.
And when it comes to explaining what happened the last time we blew off Europe, chopped the heck out of our treaty commitments, got truly xenophobic about desperate refugees, deregulated our economy, ignored rising fascisms and slapped tariffs around, well, it just seems hopeless.
And when we get to 'splaining that world economies are now completely intertwined....well, I just reflect on the guy last week who told me that Trump had brought Smokey the Bear back in 2016, or the people (18% of Republicans!) who were mad at President Obama about Crimea, because they thought Crimea was located someplace near Iowa.
All this willful ignorance'll have to be paid for, folks. I hope you're looking forward to sending your kids and grandkids off to fight and die in Europe and Asia, because that's exactly where this fool is taking us.
China'll expand, Russia'll expand, European racists will expand, and you'll cheer: none of our beeswax, you'll say. And then it'll get to knuckle under, or go fight.
7
Says the man who doesn't pay his "fair share" of U.S. income taxes.
10
Not paying your fair share? During the 2016 debates, Trump acknowledged he has not paid federal income taxes for years:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/10/us/politics/donald-trump-taxes.html
19
The rich don't pay taxes
1
Trump is globally metastasizing infection, characterized by an extremely contagious combination of ignorance, self interest, and amoral antipathy. He's spreading eastward, infecting the morally weaker population that he comes into contact with.
Unless we can come up with an antivirus for Trump syndrome, we may need to re-employ the island of Elba post mid-terms and impeachment to avoid any recurrence.
2
Angela Merkel needs to be careful going back into the history books. Maybe she should just pay for silence.
About what? The last time Germany unifed, then tried to Make the Reich Great Again by buying into a lunatic's yellings about colored immy-grants, traitors at home, and enemies everywhere, and then massively rearming?
Apologies to Europe from this US citizen.
I suggest Europe begin charging the US rent for its bases to cover any shortfall perceived by Trump.
Europe should boycott travel to the US given Trump's and our Republican congress' despicable behavior toward our allies, Puerto Rico, refugee families, non-Norwegian looking people and US citizens in need of medicl attention.
5
Hopefully there was enough extra space aboard Air Force One to haul along Scott Pruitt's cone of silence. It would certainly be handy for Trump and Putin's upcoming tête-à-tête.
2
Trump reminds me of a guy at the end of the bar that had a few beers trying to talk sense.
13
"NATO allies realize that they are dealing with an unpredictable and obviously mentally impaired American president, and this realization hangs above the summit like a Damocles sword. It's a summit that completely independent of factual issues, can only end in chaos." Karl-Heinz Kamp, president of Germany's Federal Academy for Security Policy.
3
The American military - industrial complex has found in trump its “ knight in shining armour “ , although somewhat deranged and untrustworthy .
3
Why does the Senate find it acceptable for the President to meet with Putin alone? What is the excuse for this unprecedented behavior?
Is there not ONE Republican Senator who is not a spineless hypocrite?? What would they have said - in 50-part harmony - if Obama had proposed the same thing?
6
@Barry Fogel: Pardon me if your queries are rhetorical. Hard to tell on iconless message board.
Answer #1: Cowardice. Party before country, always.
Answer #2: The GOP would be drafting articles of impeachment, if not pursuing criminal charges of treason by now. And thar presernts yet another interesting irony, given that the man now in charge sees himself, by bemefit of the office, as above the law.
The Putin-Trump private conclave is about the most mind-boggling and frightening thing I’ve heard of, ever.
2
The mind acrobatics of Donald Trump traipse around any and all data corpora that threaten to contain knowledge about America and the world, and apparently result in him believing that defense spending of NATO members works like subprime mortgage derivatives to emerge as, not even US budget, but personal Trump pocket money.
Well, to my fellow father- and otherlanders I call from this America: the last kind of society you want to live in is this one. It is, above all, violent and racist, hyper-militarized, rarely interested in its own true histories, and generally profoundly misanthropic as can be read from how health care, education, child care, and infrastructure work here; are set up to not work because rich people don't need those things, and rich people are all the people that matter here. In Incarceration Nation, the rule of law has long gone ad absurdum.
I know, harsh words, but it has been made so, no longer tragically, but more deeply a farce than any one who thought of this type of repetitive human folly could have imagined. All this having been true long before Crétin-in-Chief most accurately began representing it.
Although emphatically exempting lots of individuals, for now, good luck, America. Thanks for the liberation and showing grampy who's boss, the one good thing you've done in your short, short history. I think you've made up for it plenty at this point.
(P.s.: No, you're not the biggest economy in the world, nor is China. Europe is, and Africa will be.)
Donald Trump is being too transparent. His impulsive and arrogant posturing is exposing the military-industrial-complex and American energy interests. The American taxpayer must never suspect that the real motive behind the instability in Syria and the middle east is oil, gas, and pipelines. Don't give a second thought to any talk of the pipeline that American interests plan to run from Iraq and across Syria to the sea to provide the European Union with their energy needs. Donald Trump should never ever mention the word pipeline in any context. Dick Cheney was far more effective; he knew how to be insidious.
7
How will future professors of U.S. Diplomatic History explain this?!?
2
Roughly the same way they explain Neville Chamberlain's 1938 speech announcing "Peace in Our Time".
Of course Trump's demand is a totally arbitrary figure, probably made up over breakfast, and designed for shock value to grab headlines. Anyone rising to the bait over Trump's antics is a fool. I suspect our European allies are not fools. They should, and probably will call his bluff.
Trump is doing Putin's bidding, striving to destroy the Western alliance for the benefit of a bankrupt 2nd rate power whose dictator has delusions of grandeur, enabled by Trump, who fancies himself an emperor.
How much lower can our nation sink?
5
Trump is not a problem solver. He is a problem creator. He is small minded, bigoted, crude and profane. Small minded men, who lack a sense of compassion with no vision for the future, have created this world of melting ice caps. Future generations will suffer for it. Real problems do exist, but NATO share of payments to the USA is not one of them. ALERT: People with an idea of future planetary survival need to be in charge. Outmoded forms of thinking are killing all of us. Money is not real.
5
Finally, an American president with the guts to tell Europe to take care of its own problems. They constantly complain about America being a military bully but yet want us to continue being their military bully at their beck and call. On top of it we are suppose to finance their protection.
5
Yes, while they're all complaining about style, many appreciate substance.
Trump probably forgot that East Germany was controlled by Russia when he made that remark to Merkel. He really isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.
17
Look, be modestly satisfied - at least he hasn't proposed to invite Russia to join NATO yet.
6
Wait until the Putin meeting. Of course the meeting will be in secret. Putin is much smarter than Trump and Trump owes him the Presidency. Trump will promise him everything- especially if he can build a Trump hotel in Moscow.
Yet.
Germany, France and UK combined are already spending more than twice as much on military as Russia. The combined European (NOT counting US) NATO member military spending is more than 4 times that of Russia. NATO has all the power it need to fight a defensive war against its enemy.
The reason we in the US are spending absurd amounts of our GDP on our war machine is that we have decided that we need to be able to fight offensive wars all over the world with a minimum number of casualties. That is insane and quite frankly its stupid to think that Europe would follow us down that rabbit hole.
1
Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi said the president’s posture at the NATO gathering had raised their level of concern about his coming meeting with Mr. Putin. They took the opportunity to lay out their standards for what would constitute a positive meeting with the Russian leader — namely, a halt to the kind of interference that some Democrats say helped to elect Mr. Trump. — Julie Hirschfeld Davis
___
Wasn't it HRC's campaign interference in Sanders' campaign that helped elect Trump?
2
While it is stupid to try to get them to 4%, it is absolutely clear that they have been mooching off the US and not spending what they need to spend. Let's work to get them to the agreed upon 2% figure immediately which would enable us to cut a bit, and then see how the security situation looks. One of the few areas where, up to a point (that point imo being the 2% level), DT is not wrong.
4
Do you really think the USA will cut back in military spending? Whose district would get the cut back?
Who knew that the U.S., the richest nation on earth, the great innovator, the exploiter of nations small and large for the last century, the protector, the biggest, toughest kid on the block, could be SUCH A VICTIM?
5
By this picture I’d say somebody’s getting ignored at the party...
5
The picture is quintessential Trump. He positively reeks arrogance.
9
What's the story as to why Trump does not button his suite jacket?
2
One thing Trump is good at is being offensive. Before he completely antagonizes Germany, someone might want to remind the president that 54 German soldiers, posted with NATO in Afghanistan, lost their lives fighting along side American forces after 9/11. Really Mr. Trump, Germany and NATO never do anything for us? One day, Trump's arrogance and stupidity will Catch-up with him. It always does, right Joe McCarthy?
5
The picture accompanying this live update illustrates precisely how isolated we are making ourselves in the world community. Everyone is talking among themselves — everyone, that is, but Trump, who believes he is exuding exceptionalism and righteousness, like a holy halo, when, in fact, he is making himself — and us — look backward, boorish, and foolish.
Like the arrogant kid who thinks he’s too cool for school, he’s the one everybody is trying to avoid.
Job well done, Sir! (Sarcasm off.)
4
Trump's intention is not to motivate our allies to bolster their defenses. No, Trump is laying the groundwork for a blame-the-victim defense when Russia tests NATO and takes control of some of the most recent NATO additions--which were previously part of the Soviet bloc countries.
Russia plans to crack NATO's article 5. They will do that by taking a country strategically easy to control and defend, a former Soviet bloc country on their border. Russia has invested heavily in paralyzing Western Europe and the US with political polarization.
Russia will choose a time of maximum political polarization to make their move. NATO will be reluctant to respond because of uncertainty about US commitment.
The US, under Trump, will simply say, "See, I told you they should have increased their defense spending. It's their own fault. Why should we do anything to help".
4
Our defense spending is a vast jobs & profit machine. My friends in the military describe colossal waste and inefficiency..but know that the spigot will never be turned off because our economy depends on it. One tactic is to split big ticket items like the $406 billion F-35 across many congressional districts so that no rep dare vote against it. So let's not pretend that our bloated defense budget is some kind of gift to Europe and South America...
4
I hope the typical Times reader can figure out that the assertion that Germany is under Russian domination is a response to the assertions that he, Trump, is under Putin's spell.
Trump has a different view of energy. He believes nuclear and coal are fine energy sources. If you believe this, then it is incongruous to be phasing out these primary fuels and replacing them with Russian gas, paid for with hard Euros. Anybody remember we are supposed to be punishing Russia with economic sanctions?
4
One aspect about increasing defense spending that is particular to Germany is that this country's military is limited to no more than 370,000 soldiers by the two-plus-four treaty from 1990, which served both as the ersatz peace treaty between Germany (East and West, hence two) and the four Allied powers and provided the foundation to rejoin the two Germanies into today's unified Germany. This treaty also precludes any non-German (i.e. NATO) troops or any nuclear weapons from being stationed in former East Germany.
While the numerical limit on German troop strength is not necessarily an obstacle to a significant rise in military spending, I question whether such a sizeable increase in German military capabilities is really something its neighbours in Europe would be entirely comfortable with. Just something to think about.
6
Pete,
The Bundeswehr's current strength is less than 2/3s of that strength; if Russia is truly a threat, Germany needs to step up and reinvigorate the Bundeswehr, and if Russia is not a threat, NATO should be disbanded. We are long past the 20th Century.
We all understand, I assume, that the point of Mr. Trump's rant to our long-valued allies is directed to justify his imminent announcement of the exodus of the US from NATO. This is all in advance of the well-orchestrated plan to co-rule the United States of Russia, East and West Divisions. Mr. Trump never had any wish to be the US president, but rather, to rule the world with the one man who worked diligently to see that the 2016 US election was secured. President Trump is right on schedule with the long term plans of his mentor and future partner in running and adding to, the holdings of the United States of Russia.
4
Is Trump king of the world and feels he can order other countries to do as he wishes?
Sooo... If the other countries increase their spending on NATO and the US spends less will I see a tax savings for what we didn't spend? Is Trump insisting that other countries raise their taxes after talking about the blessings of tax cuts (for the rich and famous)?
6
Why does the US think they can make arbitrary spending rules on the fly and ask for immediate action? That’s absurd. If......military spending is increased it should be spent on humanitarian, infrastructure, and educational aid, not more weapons and troops of war. I would like to see the data regarding which country spends their money where under the umbrella of NATO military spending.
Bombing people into submission is not the way to international stability. Education, compassion and community building will reap greater rewards.
5
If they spend 4%, then he'll say they need to spend 8%. If they spend 8%, he'll say... At some point, NATO will just crumble, he and Putin hope.
5
The sooner the better... tRump wants that hotel in Moscow...
We now see that Trump will accomplish his goal. MAGA means being first among third world dictatorships and oligarchies focused on growth by military conquest. The developed and developing countries will need to get used to the vacuum, and dealing with a dangerous third world dictator with nuclear weapons and a reliable delivery system.
2
It could be just a ploy by Trump to increase our own military spending to even more outrageous levels when the Europeans cannot be nudge to lay out more money. There are military equipment that have parts which are made in every state so the "lawmakers" approve their purchase because it creates jobs back home. That is the way the welfare state operates today.
4
Trump's behavior today was a desperate attempt to deflect the Mueller probe that Russia isn't going to like. It is all explained here: https://www.bestcashcow.com/trumps-germany-rebuke-for-russian-energy-dep...
4
Because of his xenophobic and isolationist policies, President Trump is not building a southern wall between us and Mexico, he is building a wall all around the USA and the rest of the civilized nations. His bluster at the NATO and ad hominem attacks on Germany, NATO, and our allies who supported us after 9/11 followed closely by his support of British PM Theresa May's opposition should worry all of us. Insurrection in the USA, not tomorrow, but don't forget when this nation almost was destroyed by the Civil War. If this man is allowed to continue to sow his toxic seeds of destruction to all who disagree with him we are ripe for demonstrations and perhaps riots.
When he leaves Brussels one can only hope that his staff can convince him to tone down his rhetoric before arrival in the United Kingdom. where he is due for a frosty reception after all the nice words he had said about the PM Theresa May's opposition; he will not visit London except to meet the Queen. I wish I could say he would pay his respects to the Queen, but this man does not appear to respect anyone who is not an autocrat like Putin. After a short golfing visit to Scotland, it is off to Helsinki to meet with Putin and after all those nice things he has said about Putin, the whole world will be watching.
9
That’s only that’s only because he was just told Obama had already gotten up to the agreed upon 2%
4
Congressional Republicans won't publically censure Trump; maybe our (hopefully still) allies will join together to publically censure him. It won't do any harm, and maybe it will shake up this corrosive bombast with NATO allies that Trump has pursued to the detriment of all Americans.
5
Why do you think all these NATO countries have such great social benefit programs like "free" healthcare? Because we pay for their defense.
5
Actually it is not “free” healthcare - NATO allies pay for it differently through progressive taxation. They also pay 60-75% less than the U.S. pays for healthcare for the same care with our “free market” system which actually causes you to pay much higher “taxes” to the pharmaceutical industry, doctor and hospital corporations, and of course the health insurance industry. We certainly are a rich country, despite having to pay 3-4 times more in “free-market” healthcare costs, we still have enough left over to pay for troops in 43 countries and bomb 10 of them lately. Doubtful that all those bombs and soldiers are making us a lot of friends anyway.
7
My question is why a "professor," would make claims based on an ignorance of European health systems and social programs, coupled with an ignorance of why we spend on NATO.
3
Quick question: have you ever had to seek healthcare in Europe (Great Britain, France, Italy)? How was the wait for healthcare? Did they make you bring your own linens and food if there was an overnight stay?
There are difficult times ahead, but the end loser after this nonsense will be America. Europe can beef up its military capacity, not inconsiderable, and France has a nuclear deterrent that, unlike Britain, does not depend on American good will. Europe can defend itself. There might be problems with Russia in the Baltic states, but can anyone believe Trump will defend them at the risk of offending his best friend Putin, alleged holder of the legendary video with Donald and the babushkas, surely aware of all the shenanigans between Trump and the dirty money from Russia propping up his business?
However, once America has been seen in the light of Trump, it will be very difficult to see it once again as the country of Eisenhower or Obama. Trump is the result of America re-fighting the Civil War, in a different way. Until America knows and defines what it wants to be, what kind of values guide it, it will be difficult for it to lead itself, let alone set itself as a guide for other countries.
8
The USSR has lost the cold war. Before 1989 the USSR exists and had the Warchaw-pact to assist them. The Russian troops were in Germany right opposite the American troops. After 1989 USSR is desintegrated, in 3 large parts: Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. All countries in the Warchw-pact are now in Nato. Not only that, three Baltic states, former part of USSR are now als in the NATO, which means that American troops are within 30 miles of the second largest city of Russia: Petersburg. Russia is now almost at war with Ukraine an Georgia and the former sovjet state Kazachstan has a large American military base. So Putin has reasons to be worried.
For Europe Russia is not a very large treat anymore.
And remember all the partmners in Nato are free states: there military budget is not decided by USA but by their parlements.
1
While NATO partners should live up to their commitment, why does it have to increase over 2%? Just making up numbers to get more attention again
3
It just clicked!
Mr. Trump put tariffs in place to lower our allies GDP.
Then he is demanding increased percentages based on the GDP.
So the actual monetary spending amount hasn't changed! Brilliant!
...
...
...
Never mind. Back to the drawing board to figure out what our President is thinking.
3
Defense spending is not the issue anymore than tariffs or immigration. Bullying in the spotlight is - anything outrageous that will compel all eyes to transfix on his next manipulation, his next disparaging insult to the senses.
Mental energy escapes through through the available outlets. trump is brilliant at creating disruption and pitting people and countries against one another. He is a dark cloud upon the planet.
VOTE.
2
He tends to feel cheated in any situation.
7
I hope our NATO allies understand that Trump is only doing what Putin told him to do and hopefully before the next election we can impeach him and his whole bunch and make America great again.
5
Once again, are old men that have never served in our Armed Forces
going to send our young men/women to do battle?
Folks, if you don't do anything in November, do vote.
The 18-35 year vote is important as all voters are.
8
But who to vote for? Both major parties grandstand but have no international policy beyond maintaining the crumbling American Empire by projecting force. Drone on.
1
Vote DEMOCRATIC. At least Democrats have heart. The majority of the current Republican "leadership" is self-serving, cruel, and fascist.
2
Spend more on defense, Europe!
Buy Russian, Chinese, Israeli or Indian stuff!
4
Russian, buy Russian military equipment. Just ask the old Warsaw Pact members.
It is frightening to see a person so ill-informed and yet so powerful shoot off his mouth like this. The photograph with this article says everything. Every leader looks angry and disgusted while our President looks stupid and defiant. They should meet separately without him and then go home. And Britain should cancel his visit. It is impossible to work with him. He lies constantly, his word is worth nothing, and he has no idea what he's talking about. Only one thing matters to him: himself.
33
As long as Trump kept his promises on immigration and SCOTUS; and met with equally dangerous whack job running a Communist, rogue nation, the dullards and other fools who helped get him elected are happy as a clam. Allies be damned.
12
Is our President deranged?
What a silly question.
Are we?
Even sillier.
7
The Ugly America is real and he's alive and his name is Donald Trump.
8
Donald J. Trump is acting like a de facto Russian ambassador to the U.S. Provoke, insult and demean is his modus operandi. Shameful.
10
So, Germany is “totally controlled by Russia”? Apparently Trump is revising his greatest hits. "I'm not a puppet, you're a puppet" worked before; so he is trying it again.
Except, Germany is not as easy to bully as Hillary. They have experience with blustering madmen in their past, and their collective defenses are way up against moronic arguments of the bully in chief.
10
4% military spending. IS HE NUTS?
7
Depends. Is Russia a threat to Western Europe?
Yes, but NATO is already spending more than Russia on the military. The Russian economy cannot support an arms race with the West. Several world benchmarks rank Russia behind South Korea, Italy, Canada.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)
Much as I don't care for Reagan, his Star Wars was designed to bankrupt Russia and bring it down, IMHO.
Trump is a man driven by fear. It grows at the core of each of his lies. It erupts when disturbed by the fact that we can kill each other. Those of us who fear death bind themselves in commonwealth and pursue peace. Only a builder of monuments believes he will live forever and looks upon mortality as a fool.
1
I wonder who is really captive of Russia
We may get an answer when he visits his master in Finland
9
Watching Pompeo, Kelly, and Hutchinson squirm at the table at today's meeting while the POTUS talked blustering nonsense, all I can say is: GOOD. May you pay 1,000 times over for being complicit with this no-nothing blowhard masquerading as the American President.
How the GOP can just sit there while this moron destroys the United States credibility with our allies beggars belief. This is NOT leadership. It's not even coherent, except for Trump's desire to smash everything in sight.
Trump supporters rally around their man, screaming their support while the POTUS trips over his own tongue and ignorance, whether it is shameful fascistic domestic polices, or international isolationism, or mutterings about Elton John. In the meantime, the 'forgotten people' of this country, as Trump coined them, will soon be forgotten as their wealth is funneled to the 1%, tariffs fail, and American businesses will be choked due to a limp patriotism that will die on the vine of the world markets.
Trump won't end up with his face on Mount Rushmore, but on Mount Doom. The GOP must not be returned to power after this debacle of a presidency.
8
Maybe they're not complicit, maybe they think it's better to keep an undisciplined President in check. Don't know much about Pompeo, except that he's a GOP lifer that was respected by his colleagues in congress and General Kelly knew full well the value of NATO when he served with honor and distinction. I don't believe he just decided to go rogue when he joined this administration. A lifetime of service doesn't count for nothing all of a sudden.
Trump in his "America First" quest, is only interested in increasing spending for mostly American defense contractors. His ambitions are selfish and even though I want our country (the USA, not America as Trump states), to do well economically but, not at the expense of our children, health care system and especially the environment. I am quite certain our European counterparts are more intelligent than our POTUS - quite sad actually that we elected a moron. I am also certain they will appease him and make him think he won, as that is all that matters to him (and his like-minded base).
13
You know, for a publication that complains that Trump always wants to be in the news, you, the NYT, are contributing to giving him his fix. Is it really necessary to live blog the blow-by-blow of the NATO summit? To give full coverage to his every tweet, grunt, and click? Trump is every bit your monster too.
7
2%, 4%, who cares about percent-based contributions from these pygmy-sized countries? We should be running NATO like a country club. After an applicant's credentials are approved by the Membership Committee, they need to agree to abide by the club rules and regulations and pay the annual membership fee. What should the fee be? Well, we're paying $700 Billion for defense, right? Why should any country get to pay less--- because they're pygmy-sized? Enough of that.
And when they fork up the dough, we'll throw in a free steak dinner with Donald Trump and a golf cart ride back to the conference room.
2
I am strongly Anti-Trump, but he is exactly right about this. Out allies are taking long vacations and enjoying many social benefits we don't get on our tab. I've had many Canadians brag to me about how stupid Americans are to allow them to freeload.
4
The reason you have poor benefits is because all of your money goes into the pockets of the 1%. Period. The end. Your lawmakers are held hostage by big corporations, the military industrial complex, and all sorts of special interest groups who actively prevent legislation to improve the quality of life of average Americans. That is the truth. The US has plenty of money. It is just very, very poor at spreading it around. Trump and his swamp buddies are doing their best to spread even less.
4
I call baloney. "Freeload" is not what Canadians do nor would we lie about doing it. So, perhaps, you don't understand sarcasm.
It would be much better if everyone just disarmed. It would eliminate all this silly back and forths.
1
Is it Putin's birthday?
7
I think Putin and Trump have been planning something like this for a while:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/trump-putin-russia-collusio...
1
Anyone who trusts the current USA to honor its commitments is a fool.
3
Trump is Putin’s puppet and the GOP should put an end to this betrayal of Western Democracies.
6
he really wants the US out of NATO, one way or another. what a vile man.
9
Judy,
The Cold War ended almost 30 years ago, why does NATO even still exist?
1
Crimea? Syria?
1
There will be volumes of handwringing in these comments but who can really argue with Trump's main point. Why have we been and why are we continuing to subsidize Germany. They use our stupidity to strengthen their economy. And Germany is beholden to Russia because of its natural gas imports. Quiet diplomacy has just been a way for our allies to do nothing.
5
Trump is little more than an ignorant, crude, uninformed bully who thrives on pitting people against each other (sorry, as a non- American I've always tried to be polite about your president in my posts but I can't any more!).
The other NATO members need to stop tiptoeing around him because he's the US president. This is not the type of POTUS they've been used to dealing with, and the USA itself is fast becoming a different country.
The NATO members need to work together and hit back. Call out his lies and bully tactics publicly. Work as a team to contain him and remind him that NATO has a history and purpose of which he is all too ignorant. If he wants the USA to leave, show him the door. By the time an exit strategy has been negotiated a new POTUS will have been elected.
Oh, and 45 can be assured that he'll get the welcome he deserves from the British people when he arrives here later this week. We're looking forward to it.
16
This American thanks you so much! And there are many tens of millions like me!
My mother grew up in Glasgow in the early decades of the last century. She'd be in the streets with you. Give him a royal welcome!
2
The Cold War ended almost 30 years ago, why does NATO even still exist? Europe can look after itself, it does not need Uncle Sam to protect it from itself.
As a German, I can only admit that Trump is 100% correct on this issue. Our military is a devastatingly underfunded joke and could not even defend us from the Swiss, let alone Russia. The vast majority of our planes and ships are out of service. And all our politicians, and also the population at large, totally refuses to do anything about it. In the typical German's mind, we do not need any military. Our people are totally delusional about how the world works and deny the fact that only America's might has kept us safe - in fact, Anti-Americanism is rampant.
At the same time, we waste billions and billions of Euros on welfare for illegal immigrants and illegitimate asylum seekers, even those hundreds of thousands who were denied asylum under our very generous asylum laws because they came simply for economic gain, not because they faced any danger at home.
And yet Trump is universally painted as the mad villain here on this issue, and the NYT helps to reinforce that narrative. Amazing.
7
Ah, the 1933 vintage. It's certainly still a remarkable bottling.
4
Good points. Well stated. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
2
As an American, I am absolutely embarrassed and ashamed of the way trump has treated our allies and oldest supporters right out of the gate during a breakfast photo op. He has shown the world he is nothing more than an angry, ignorant small person with absolutely no sense of intelligence, diplomacy or protocol. I am concerned for America's future as he alienate more and more of our friends, cozies up to our adversaries and shows more and more of his dictatorial tendencies every single day. When the day comes we need our allies, and make no doubt about it, that day will come, one can only pray that he has not permanently fractured our relationships. Not one American should be supportive of his behavior today, no matter how much you may agree on policy. There is a right way to deal with things, and then there is the trump way which does not work as it had with NYC contractors.
6
Why is Trump blowing up the NATO meeting before it even begins? Does he hope this will rev up his base for the midterms? Does he hope that this will make Putin his BFF? This is another low point for an Administration that is awash in them. If you are an American this morning and you are not appalled by his behavior and his proud display of his own manifest ignorance cloaked in arrogance -you should be.
6
Arghh...no country 'owes us money'....that is just NOT the way it works. It's not dollar for dollar...if Estonia pays more it does not mean we pay less. His transactional-only mindset is so corrosive. Is there anyone who can shut him up?
5
Some of the points he makes are valid..... too bad his style is so boorish and offensive.... and that his word is meaningless.
2
As far as I can tell no one, not even Trump, is making the argument that NATO is underfunded; just that the burden is unfairly distributed. On that one point, I actually agree with him. (You have no idea how rarely I think that.)
If we average defense spending as a percentage of GDP across all 28 NATO member nations, it comes to about 2.55%.
So here's an interesting thought. What if every NATO country committed to spending 2.55% of GDP on defense? That would mean spending increases from about $39 million (with an "m") for Montenegro to about $46 billion for Germany.
But it also would mean a REDUCTION in defense spending by the United States of almost $200 billion a year. I find that prospect fascinating.
4
The European armed forces are woefully underfunded, basically resulting in a non-functional state. That means basically all the money that is currently spent on the European militaries is wasted in its entirety. To make them functional again, they really do need to double their expenses.
1
The USA has a lot of tanks. If they are not serving in Europe as a deterrent, what are they for? What are they doing and where are they? There will be no massive decrease of American armored forces, and the air force will modernize no matter what our allies do. We have no political will to disarm even if it were sensible. Stationing these assets in the USA instead of Europe makes them less useful, period - they have almost zero use in the Americas.
Europe can spend more on defense, but odds are a "panicked" increase will be mostly accounting tricks and waste. It would be much better if we used this bully pulpit to get Germany to enforce its auto emission standards, welcome refugees and devote its military efforts to leverage its geography to becoming a first rate, resilient logistics and training hub for NATO forces. If Germany has no working submarines and few working tanks and planes, it is likely not a terrible run of luck or one negligent contractor. Odds are it is because their populace does not care and correctly assumes it can free ride off the rest of NATO.
If Trump has learned anything from running resorts, it is probably that yelling at people to care more usually makes them devote more effort to appear that they care and nothing more.
So... Trump lambasts, belittles and calls U.S. allies "delinquent" - and to think - this is coming from a deadbeat who has shortchanged his personal driver, failed to pay his debts, and left a trail of bankruptcies - sticking investors with the losses while claiming them for himself to avoid paying taxes. Why isn't he in jail rather than strutting around the world and undercutting our Nation's security by courting tyrants,like himself?
11
The US spends about 18% of GDP on health care. Countries with universal health care spend about 11%. The US spends 3.5% of GDP on its military; other NATO countries spend 1-2%. There is little reason therefore to think that it is US defence spending (or the absence of it elsewhere) that is responsible for the US not having universal health care, as some commenters allege, as opposed to political decisions about the organization of health care. (The US also spends about twice as much on litigation costs and liability insurance as a percentage of GDP as do other western countries, and though that may make its lawyers twice as wealthy, I doubt that it makes the US twice as just in civil matters. ) I do think that Canada and other western countries should increase their defence spending to 2% of GDP, though this should be done gradually and thoughtfully. Otherwise it will just result in boondoggles to the benefit of profiteers, if not crooks, rather than actual defence capabilities.
9
The US spends a great deal on it military, both absolutely and on a per capita basis. No other country comes close.
However, only a paltry number of US military personnel are based in other NATO countries. In contrast, nearly 100% of other NATO countries military personnel (excluding NA-based Canada) ARE located in Europe. That's nearly two million people in arms, with all their associated bases and gear. Basically, the latter are needed ONLY for NATO, while the US uses its military all over the world.
Trump is more than just an embarrassment here. He is destabilizing the Western order of things.
7
Well, his temper will probably improve when he meets his old pal Vladimir again in Helsinki.
Out of curiosity I wonder why it is so wrong that Germany buys Russian gas when it seems to be quite allright that Russia medles in the politics of other countries or occupy parts of other countries.
And talking about "captive", the one who really seemed to have been captive of Russia in the sense that Russia can do no wrong for the last couple of years, he is currently occupying the Oval Office in the White House in Washington.
11
This is one of the few things I agree with Trump on...Why should they get a free ride.
4
NATO countries have about two million military personnel, almost all of them based in Europe. The US has 1.4 million military personnel, almost none of them based in Europe. How is this a "free ride" for the US?
2
Each country decides what percent of their GDP they put into NATO. 2% is the guideline. We, the US, have decided to put in more. We can put in less if we like. But, with Trump as our president, only the .1% will benefit. Certainly, trump wouldn’t put any NATO saved funds into healthcare or education. Maybe he could use it to pay off the debt we’ve incurred from the generous tax cuts to corporations and the rich elite (and, yes, Trump is one of them)? Just kidding. Trump doesn’t believe in paying debts.
1
What I'd like to know if trump is right about putin being a good peaceloving guy, is why should we be demanding that our real friends should contribute more $$ to NATO, whose mission is to defend agains Russian aggression.
5
if Russia is no threat, why is it necessary for EU to spend 4% of GDP on defense?
perhaps the weaken their economies in favor of ours? Perhaps his pal Putin suggested this to him.
8
The lead photo says all anyone needs to know about America's current president: standing alone in a crowd, interacting with no one and staring off to the side, as if posing for his very own commemorative coin.
Which, of course, is minted in Moscow.
17
I think he's sleeping.
Seriously.
1
We spend 3.5% of GDP on war profiteers, Trump wants the rest of NATO to raise their spending to 4%. It's obscene.
12
It will be interesting how the COWARDS in the Republican Leadership react to Donald Trump's embarrassing and shameful show he put on for the camera this morning, because up until now they have mostly been complicit in Trump's saddling up to Putin and Russia.
Trump showed the free world what a National Embarrassment we have in a President.
9
Does anyone have any good tips for talking and acting like a Canadian? I'm visiting Germany next month and I don't want everyone there to hate me.
9
maple-leaf T-shirt
2
Pronounce "ou" like "oo" (so that "about" is pronounced "a boot", for example...)
1
Be extremely polite and pronounce "about" like there are two oo's "aboot"
2
His whole point about defense spending has been a red herring, as he's just moved it to a ridiculous 4%, sounding more like a mafia loan shark. The point is to destroy NATO.
7
No matter how high Europe jumps to try to please Trump (and I think they're just about finished with that strategy), Trump will just say, "Now jump higher - because I say so". He talks about fairness all the time. That's not fair. That's childish.
But then.....we all know he is a child. Please, Europe, we are being held hostage here. Don't lose hope! I pray soon we will have a 'normal' leader again, not a tyrant wannabe.
Hold tight.
8
So it wasn't enough to trash NATO allies to their face insisting they come up with the 2% military spending for NATO by 2024 as soon as possible. What? Did he not get enough attention? So he is now trolling our allies to come up with an additional 2% for a total of 4%. Is playing the victim card the only thing he knows how to do? Seems like it. His simplistic and often erroneous ideas showcase nothing but his lack of knowledge, disdain for preparation and historic precedent and instead highlights his narcissistic contentious core.
Trump is such a lazy and self-centered man. I wish he would begin to think about representing the US of A and our historic leadership as regards NATO and the good that this alliance has done since its inception. That appears to be something he is incapable of doing. It's sadly always about his need for attention and votes.
3
All everyone ever needed was nukes to protect themselves. Get rid of the armies, the air force, the navies. They are all obsolete.
Certainly this is one thing Mr. Trump knows about from his vast business experience ...being "delinquent".
17
The goal (NWO) is simple and well planned: Disrupt the NATO alliance and everything else too so Europe will build a bulwark against the US. It’s quite clear, isn’t it? Trump insults Angela Merkel, criticizes European cars sold in the US, especially German auto manufacturers, even though a significant number if those are actually made in the US, slaps multiple tariffs on Europe for basically no reason at all; angers Britain, a long term ally with the “special relationship” ...it goes on and on. Only problem: Europe ain’t so unified or willing to work in unison as they all thought. It just refuses to comply; quite honestly half of Europe would just as soon get rid of that European Parliament glob all together, but keep the Union of course. So Trump will keep up the pressure as ordered but, alas, it won’t work. All it will do is stop monied Europeans from visiting America because they don’t want to be vetted to a completely silly degree just because they want to visit the set of “The Big Bang Theory”! Unfortunately they’ll have to go to Southern France again and enjoy French cooking again and French wine...what an awful life: not.
2
And all the while Republicans in Congress sit complicit throughout one mess after another!
14
One word of advice. Reject anything and everything Trump tells you. Money is not the issue here.
Money is being used as a wedge issue by Trump - as his orders are to fray our unity with EU, and within EU.
Don't fall for it. Trump will be gone soon - old order will return. Don't spend more on your defense - hold firm. If anything, America can spend less on defense and the military industrial complex.
11
Agreed re reducing "defense" spending, but do you really expect even a Democratic Congress reducing the budget of the War Department much? There are so many people to "liberate" from our formerly favored dictators as stock portfolios swell.
Trump is asking European countries to take 2% of their GDP out of great social programs, and move it to defense spending. It should be the opposite--the US should be reducing defense spending, and increasing spending for its pitiful social welfare systems, including healthcare.
And whatever happened to European objections to our nukes on their soil and our forever wars, to which they have contributed?
If Trump gets along with Putin so well, why haven't they been talking disarmament?
Oops, he has to get his latest instructions in Helsinki.
3
Here's the man saying only nice things about Russia. Nothing to fear. Has never had a bad word to say about them. And then he slams our time tested allies for not spending more money to defend themselves against Russia. The circuitous logic blows my mind.
5
"Delinquent" allies?
Here's my response from Canada to Mr. Trump: Try telling that to the families of 159 Canadian troops killed in Afghanistan. Or maybe the relatives of our Korean and Vietnam War casualties. 30,000 Canadians served in Southeast Asia. 134 of them died fighting beside their American brothers in Vietnam alone. Consider the 44,000 Canadian deaths in WWII, when we entered the conflict in 1939, more than two full years before the US got involved. Then there's Agent Orange. Your country tested it IN CANADA.
My husband served in the Arctic during the Cold War, monitoring Russian marine traffic. He was later stationed at Goose Bay as part of a US-Canada military alliance for NATO.
Remember the Canadians who sheltered thousands of American air travelers stranded during 9/11? The 24 Canadians who died in that attack?
And don't forget American military bases, 587 at last count, located in other countries, especially Germany. The US needs those bases. It's not just about "protection". Ready access to areas of American interest is crucial and they have it, thanks largely to their NATO friends. For now. The US military is a behemoth, weaponized to the teeth. That is an American choice. Well-aimed missiles could target her allies. We stand in danger just by association. The cost of our friendship with such a militaristic nation entails a growing threat from that nation's enemies.
"Delinquent"? Depends on how you define that term, I suppose.
8
I would like to say thank you to the American people for protecting us and for your friendship!
I grew up in West Germany. When the wall had come down, my parents took us kids to a town in the GDR. I felt so uncomfortable there because everything was grey. Fences were not painted, no flowers outside the windows of the rotten houses, potholes everywhere. My family was well aware that we could have ended up like this as well. And that it was the friendship of the Americans and other western countries that kept the Russians out.
I can't remeber anyone in my family ever say one bad word about America. America was our natural partner. In 9th grade I wore sweater at school with a big red star on it. A teacher said: How dare you wear a sweater with a Soviet star? My grandpa was thankful for how well he was treated by the Americans when he was a 20 year old kid/POW.
We did have a strong military when the wall came down. We had it for one reason: keeping the Russians out/peace by being alert. After 1990, it looked as if Russia would become a "normal" country without any intent of grabbing land. That's IMHO why our politicians shrunk our military. Also, we had been taught that we were too militaristic in the past.
I hate Merkel for much of what she does, including neglecting the military. I hope our friendship is going to prevail in spite of who is running our countries right now. My visits to the beautiful USA and my American friends here make me optimistic. Hopfully justifiably.
8
For all the conservatives losing their minds about the EU not spending enough money of war weaponry: the 2% target is a 2024 goal.
8
It is more apparent than ever that we stand at the brink of isolationism. At this point, Europe can and should (from their point of view) distance itself from the U.S. How can they not? We are degrading them on a weekly basis. We have dragged them into a seventeen year war that has no end, then demand they increase their defense budget. We have set up major roadblocks to international trade. Their own nationalist parties are emboldened by the rise of Mr. Trump, further weakening the bond.
If Mr. Trump is elected for another four years, it is likely the balance will be shattered permanently. It will show Europe the U.S. cares not at all for the old alliances.
Then we will see how dark the world is when our country stands aloof and alone - on defense, on trade, on culture.
It is not an experience I have had in my life. It is not one I want.
6
The American Empire, unlike the Roman or British Empire, doesn’t depend upon actually conquering other countries, but rather looks something like this.
2
NATO freely admits most NATO nations don t pay their fair share of NATO funding and sticks the United States for most of the bill. According to the NATO official website, “Today, the volume of the US defense expenditure effectively represents some 67 per cent of the defense spending of the Alliance as a whole in real terms. This does not mean that the United States covers 67 per cent of the costs involved in the operational running of NATO as an organization, including its headquarters in Brussels and its subordinate military commands, but it does mean that there is an over-reliance by the Alliance as a whole on the United States for the provision of essential capabilities, including for instance, in regard to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; air-to-air refueling; ballistic missile defense; and airborne electronic warfare.”
In 2014, NATO apportioned each country’s fair share of funding at 2% of GDP. In 2017, only four of the 29 member nations met the guideline; only eight are expected to comply in 2018.
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67655.htm
3
And how many by 2024--six years from now--which is what they committed to?
1
They are supposed to meet the guideline as soon as possible.
Perhaps with a 4% target they will get to 2%. But, as usual, Trump, who has a petty bourgois mentality, is thinking in dollar terms, because "effectiveness" is not in his vocabulary. Look at the use of low cost cyber warfare and a few bribes by Russia, China and North Korea.
American defense contractors don't like cost-effective defense policy as it affects their bottom line. BTW, if NATO countries increase their defense spending, on whose hardware will it be spent?
5
Just observing: So Trump wants Germany to beef up their miltary? Just imagine that if we had a similar electoral process like the US of A, chances are the right wing AfD party will have a say in foreign policy, so be careful what you wish for! I‘ve seen and heard these guys in pre election rallies, and it was back to 1933 in full throttle, oh .. wait, i‘ve seen Trump too?
5
Russia and the US are trade partners. Over $30B worth of goods are imported from Russia and $11B exported (A TRADE DEFICIT). We are the 5th biggest importers of Russian goods. Russia owns $105B of US debt. We don't need to lecture Germany. How many Russian soldiers and billions of rubles were expended to support us after 9/11? Our real allies supported us. Trump is destroying current alliances to do Putin's bidding. Maybe the pp tape is real as are most of the dossier charges?
4
Trump wants NATO to increase its military spending because then US military contractors stand to make tons of money selling weapons systems to Europe-people are saying. Does Trump have ownership in any of those companies that stand to make a "killing" on this increased spending?
2
He can't tell other countries how much to spend on defense (what is wrong with this guy?)
On the other hand, we Americans would like OUR government to spend A LOT LESS on defense, and more on helping to make the U.S. a more perfect union.
5
A special thank you to our good allies for standing by us while we undergo our trial with the blight of Trump.
Be assured the blight will soon be neutralized, and eventually removed.
7
Just part of just the Trump agenda to increase exports because the only thing we make is military equipment. Maybe if we made more things they would buy more things. Our manufacturing base has been destroyed by us sending it to China and now we are mad at the rest of the world?
1
"I don't pay my dues. that makes me smart" - Europe.
3
Trump should be forced to stand in the back of these photos. USA is no longer a team leader so get in the back where we now unfortunately belong. Trump should be corrected immediately and publicly on all misinformation by European Leaders. Stop giving him the spotlight!
Why is the world is England hosting him?
"Now is not a good time" in an engraved letter from the Queen, or better yet, time for ALL leaders to speak up about not wanting to communicate with some one who can't get the facts straight, shames leaders, etc.
5
Be certain to note that the agreed-upon financial target Trump states is incorrect.
The goal was set in 2014 for NATO countries to move toward 2 percent of their GDP within a decade -- so around 2024.
3
The Democrats march in and solemnly pronounce once again that Russia caused Trump's electoral college victory in 2016. Which is has be debunked to death. The solemn scowls are just the response Trump wants. Trump controls the politics of this insult reality TV tit for tat that now passes for politics. Russia is the fall guy for NATOs dishonest and unjustified expansion into the former Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union. The Ds have yet to acknowledge that the US participated in an illegal right wing nationalist anti-Russian coup in Kiev in 2014. Crimea is largely populated by Russians and they opted out of Ukraine. The Russians stalemated the civil war. Trump's insult a minute reality show foreign policy is matched with his clueless trade policy.
The American push for greater military spending by NATO countries seems wholly inconsistent with what for decades has been clear U.S. interests to contain Soviet/Russian expansionism.
Why the push to get European countries to spend 4% of their GDP on defense? Maybe it's in order to boost sales for U.S. defense contractors? This wouldn't be the first time Trump has set policy to reward his wealthy supporters.
7
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the photo of the NATO leaders at the beginning of the summit suggests that the other countries' leaders are not anxious to converse with Trump outside the meeting room. Trump has chosen to isolate himself and the US from its traditional allies, but, in the end, the US stands to lose at least as much as the other countries do.
4
Teresa May should have a world map of the British Empire of 100 years ago next to a world map of the electoral districts Trump won in 2016. Let him see how minuscule he really is, and how quickly a world power can be diminished in its influence.
3
Why not accept the obvious - that Trump truly is a Russian Agent. When he meets with his handler Putin, he can acknowledge what he has accomplished in trying to destroy our alliance with our allies.
Of course it is possible that his actions are truly what the nation wants - an alliance with Russia/breakup with NATO, and I missed the debates on this change in direction.
11
A useful idiot is the more apt description.
2
Trump’s signature on the joint statement means nothing. He does not consider it binding, and he’d throw NATO under a bus in the event of trouble.
6
Germany demanded that USA enter into a 100 year agreement to supply EU with their energy needs in mid 1980's. Helmut threatened to get into bed with Russia if Reagan refused. It was a perfect opportunity for US to dump Russia baggage onto Germany's back as I saw it and give Reagan breathing room. Trump is totally correct in his comment. I got to drop in and bring Helmut and his people up tp date on Reagan's response that US was decining his offer and fully understood/accepted the fact that EU would be getting in bed with Russia instead.
I think our allies should remind Trump that they are bearing the brunt and costs of immigration of very large numbers of refugees into their countries, while the U.S. has essentially shut its borders. Perhaps they should press the U.S. to increase the number of Syrian and other refugees it is resettling to some number comparable to what they are doing. Anyway, it won't matter-our irrational president ignores facts, makes up his own facts, decides what is important (regardless of whether fact or fiction), and ignores everything else-he is a bull in a china shop. This country also should be doing way more to combat climate change, like our NATO allies are-yet we are costing the world billions in pollution costs by trying to revive the coal industry. Let's just ignore the costs we impose on the world and the expenses the world has and only consider the money that we spend.
6
Maybe I'm off base here but does anyone else notice that the President's worldview is sort of similar to the later, laughably awful books in the Tom Clancy franchise where Russia is a reformed and essentially honorable world power and it's other countries that look to destroy the US either directly (there was one book where Japan and India connived with the PRC against our interests and actually invaded a US territory) or by enabling rogue in the middle east? Heck, I know that President Kennedy read Ian Fleming and President Reagan liked Louis L'amour but I'm pretty sure neither of those guys based national policy on works of fiction.
4
Trump does is not serving in the interests of the United States and is perhaps taking orders from Putin. What other explanation is there? Though we may not have agreed on the foreign policy positions of Bush or Obama, they were working for U.S. interests as they saw it. Trump is likely a traitor for which in some years we will have to grapple with the consequences.
4
It shouldn't be hard to reject and do the opposite of every single "idea" that comes out of Trump's mouth, when it can be distinguished from insane gibberish.
4
Mr. Trump which president are you? - "The Art" or "The Deal" or neither. Art is subtle, beautiful and inspiring. Can't be that. The Deal would mean you would actually have had to make one. Hasn't happened yet. So I'm left with neither. Time for a new book to be written by you in your own 40 word vocabulary. Here is a suggestion for a title - "The Spectacle of Destruction".
Please stop embarrassing US.
11
It's really a nice scam. Trump goads Putin into more aggression by overt assent, and then demands Europe pay more for defense.
That's my boy.
5
Why would the Republican Party, the party that has for decades claimed the mantle of foreign policy leadership, allow a illegitimately elected leader who clearly is working for Vladimir Putin, to conduct the affairs of the US abroad? Because they fear his base of racist, misogynistic, uneducated, gun toting confederates?
Trump commits open treason as foreign policy, and for reasons no thinking American can fathom, we let him get away with it.
8
Trump is now making purposefully unrealistic, arbitrary demands so that he will have another future talking-point with which to bludgeon NATO. The real question is, why does Trump hate NATO so much? The spending issue, while not entirely illegitimate, should not be reason enough to publicly humiliate and undermine our closest allies. Either Trump really is this ignorant, misinformed and naive, or he has been compromised by Putin. There is no other explanation for Trump's destructive behavior.
4
This is typical bellicose, ill-informed and insulting rhetoric designed to burnish Trump's hard man reputation with his base. US citizens please don't be fooled - as European countries increase their defence spending you won't see any dividend in the form of reduced military spending in the US. The US is militarily aggressive and will remain so, funding a massive arms industry in the process.
Also, it's not lost on Europeans that the US spending on 'defence' is vastly underestimated because, as a nation, you are armed to the teeth with privately owned weapons to defend yourselves from each other. Europe has no desire to be like the US where you slaughter each other on a regular basis.
7
Embarrassing to our country. Really awful.
2
It is an embarrassment to this nation and all the good people to have such a representative. We can only wonder why the Republicans have such a fear of clowns that they all remain spineless, rejecting diplomacy and cooperation in favor of denigration and contempt.
11
It's pretty clear that trump, at the behest of Putin, is out to destroy NATO. trump blames NATO for not spending up to 2% of their GDP. When they agree to meet that (by 2024), he pushes it to 4% of their GDP. He will put a condition that cannot be met.
trump is beholden to Putin. That much is clear. I am getting sick that Mueller hasn't indicted trump yet... and especially, that the sycophant Republicans have no allegiance to our country.
11
Okay, now Trump wants 4% of GDP from each NATO country. He waltz in like he's "Dog" the bounty hunter or a Mafia enforcer and lowers the hammer. What a sad melodrama (as always), and pathetic bully. Leader of the free world, indeed. Voters, this can all stop but you'd better act fast, say in November, 2018?
7
He’s insane. He believes these cartoon negotiation tactics actually work! Go hard or go home!
Go home... please!
5
Trump's treatment of our allies is disgusting.
He's crazy and should be removed from office.
Robert Mueller: U.S.A. dialing 9-1-1.
7
Pay up. This "ally" argument works both ways. If you want our protection, why can't you pay your fair share? Wouldn't you want to compensate your friend fairly, instead of whining internationally over every change the United States wants to make? Unbelievable.
2
Here's my thoughts. I believe as a country (United States), we have SO MANY great things to spend our money on other than just military expenditures. We should decrease spending in NATO in order to save money as a country and benefit our own citizens. Then the EU countries can decide whether or not they wish to increase their spending to make up the difference.
1
The money we spend "in NATO" is to maintain military bases all over Europe that WE want there. Would you really like Germany to be spending 4% or more of GDP on their military like the US does? Does WW II meaning anything to you?
If Germany is a captive to Russian, then our entire nation is OWNED by the middle east!
9
And Trump is owned by Putin.
4
Will the world truly be more safe if every country buys more fighter jets and battleships (from the US)? Meanwhile the US spends .15% of GDP on foreign aid, much of it to countries like Israel and Egypt. Many analysts would argue the world would be more safe if rich countries helped poor countries more to cope with climate change, avoid warfare, etc. The EU spends .5% of GDP on foreign aid.
8
as it's about 1% of the u.s. budget goes to foreign aid, I am hard-pressed to believe that 15% of GDP is foreign aid. Please provide the source for your numbers.
Hey, Trump is simply trying to get the EU to spend more on US military equipment as his tariff policy will negatively affect one of his biggest supporters - Boeing. China, the soon to be largest purchaser of commercial aircraft, will cut the purchases from Boeing affecting their commercial aircraft sales so Trump needs to increase sales from the military side of Boeing as this will be his only choice!
5
How about if the US just spent LESS on its bombs and military and invested in its people and society as the rest of civilized society does. The US may be first in military spending, but what good is that when the citizens don't have a decent healthcare system or schools and are just an illness away from bankruptcy. Not to mention the crumbling infrastructure and pollution levels since the Trump administration. How about getting the priorities straight before criticizing more advanced, compassionate countries!?
11
Fine. But, the n the US needs to reduce its military budget to also be at 4% of the GDP. We will only need to man bases in the US, or those during an active war. We also do not need troops in Australia, Guam, Japan or South Korea, as those countries too should increase spending to 4% of GDP. So, the extra $56 billion that was suppose to go to the Pentagon, should be used for the betterment of the country. And, no we do not need a Space Force branch of the military.
6
The last thing the world needs to be spending more money on is military. We have an environmental crisis on our hands in the form of climate change that desperately needs concerted, coordinated action (and funding) to address. Education, health and infrastructure are all far more worthy recipients of additional funding than defence, which is already very well funded.
18
Great point Andrew. The United States should spend less on NATO and have its allies make up their fair share of the difference.
1
That number Trump cited, 4.2% of the GDP of the largest economy in the world is a tremendous amount of money. And that money is coming from the pockets of US citizens. That money can be used to provide free health care to all. It can be used to provide free college education to all. Interestingly enough those other NATO countries who pay way less than 2%, Trump cited Germany that pays 1.2%, of their GDP all have enough money to afford free health care and free college.
And the sole reason that they can get by without having an army that is remotely powerful enough to defend themselves against an attack from Russia is because they feel they have no need to because the US is obligated to defend them and fight their wars for them.
So this is not about bashing Europe. This is about the people of the US being able to afford those same things that those counties can afford to pay for their citizens. So the fact is that all of the US is suffering because we pay for the defense of other rich countries who can then turn around and use the money they save from this to provide things for their people that the people of the US can only dream of.
And if this matter was viewed through the frame of what the people of the US are giving up because other rich countries rely on us to pay for what is much more their needs than our needs, after all the threat NATO is meant to protect against is Europe being attacked by Russia, not the US, it would not be viewed as brash at all.
6
Michael, you make excellent points. The problem is that Trump is doing this, and everyone has a problem with everything that Trump does automatically.
1
I don't know about Germany but health care and college among other things here are not free at all. Here in Belgium we have to pay for it too. If I had to choose between NATO and investing in social welfare, education, culture and so one, I know what to choose.
1
NATO was constituted to defend against an attack by the Warsaw Pact constituted by countries that are no longer Communist including the Russian core of the defunct Soviet Union. NATO should diminish, instead of expanding to tighten a vise around Russia. Mission creep and a bloated bureaucracy that because of obsolete treaty language requires the US to trigger WW3. Let Mr Trump cut the US' contribution down to the European average and rebrand NATO as the European Defense Force with a credible mission. Then the next question would be "why is the US in the EDF?"
Mr Trump has within an 28 month period successfully alienated most of America's traditional allies. Alienated them to the point of animosity. And it continues to get worse. I suspect that the former "friends" of America will band together and strengthen the bonds that naturally attracts them to each other. Traditional trading patterns are already changing and these changes will accelerate . I suspect that the other countries being smaller will notice the changes more than will Americans. But their lives will go on and they will learn to prosper. American producers too will have to adjust. But that is what the country wanted and voted for in 2016. Good luck to us all.
6
Yes, this sounds like a very positive development. Hurrah for the rest of the world, they can finally forge their own destinies without being vassals of the American Empire that has been bumbling for decades and causing chaos in the Middle East and Central/South America.
We make the free choice to spend what we do on "defense" because that's where the money is. We're not doing it to be the Good Guys. If Europe chooses to defend itself against the future by educating their children and keeping their cities and roads in good shape, let them. Oh, and they're dealing with a refugee crisis that is at least in large part our doing. Leave 'em alone.
15
Right, because when someone can't spend fifty dollars they're aching to spend a hundred dollars.
2
Look, Trump won't dare scrap NATO, so it's best that those members ignore him. It's only two more years and there will be certainly lots more distractions during that time.
10
Doesn't bother me at all. We are safe. If the EU truly values its freedom, then let them put their brave women and men on the line. The EU is incredibly wealthy and powerful, particularly Germany. They do not need our charitable contributions anymore. They use our transfer of wealth to take 10 week vacations. Fact. They are addicted to welfare from the US middle class giving life to theirs. Trump has a vast consensus truth beneath what he says. The facts are just as he said. That's what horrifies people. Germany can easily afford to defend itself. But their plan is to rely on us for military and instead take 10 week annual vacations, and get free university and healthcare. We are the adult and they are the child.
7
Germany pays for its healthcare and education with the taxes it raises, none of that is subsidized in any way by American taxpayers. Also never heard of ten weeks vacation in Germany (sure wish it was true though).
As for putting their "brave women and men on the line": when the US invaded Afghanistan, Europe did just that and fought alongside the US.
Germany, Italy, UK, France, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and so on all lost soldiers in that war. My father, a psychotherapist, still treats traumatized and broken German veterans.
Europe and the US are allies, for the benefit of everyone involved, let's not listen to Trumps hatred.
2
Well, we are spending quite a lot of money taking care of the refugee crisis which results in no small part from some of your oh-so-heroic military interventions. Please feel free to reduce the level of "protection" you are bestowing on the rest of the world, you would make many people feel a lot safer.
2
The US could afford universal healthcare, free college tuition, and longer vacations now if we chose to. Fact. Most of the bloated and wasteful US military budget is not related to NATO. Fact. Most defense spending by EU countries goes to US corporations. Fact. Stability in Europe over the past 50 years has benefited the US in many different ways, including trade, global influence, and the ability for the US to be the world’s superpower. Fact. Trump only cares about short-term, zero-sum transactional “deals,” and neither understands nor values longer-term alliances based on mutual cooperation, trust, and human rights. Fact.
Just when you think this President could not stoop lower or dumber than he has to this point, he once again over achieves. The alliance that we built following WWII with our partners and enemies from that conflict to ensure a strong Europe free from Russian aggression is at risk thanks to this uninformed and childlike man. Calling to question Germany's desire to provide a means of energy that is affordable and that keeps homes warm and industries working is absurd. Threatening he NATO Director General prior to the start of the actual meeting is counter productive. Thankfully the Senate for once acted in a bipartisan fashion and put out a strong statement indicating the ongoing support by those that matter in the U.S. for NATO. Both houses of congress need to find their voice and let our allies know that they are indeed still our allies.
10
There's a major contradiction here: Germany needs Russian gas to get off coal and nukes. But NATO is now constituted to envelope Russia with aggressive forces, which it is doing efficiently at the behest of grandstanding politicians including the bought and paid for US Congress. Why is NATO necessary? Shouldn't it be replaced with a diminished European Defense Force that isn't constituted around the first-use of tactical nuclear weapons on non-existent Warsaw Pact tanks?
So we just go along with NATO being neutered and "trust" our Russian friends to play nice? Seems a bit naive, don't you think?
Wake up America! The very survival of our Republic hangs in the balance.
And where are the LEADERS like our former presidents, Bush, Carter, and Clinton, and each and every CEO, Lawyer, Doctor, and General,(etc). Surely they can't all be blind to what's really going on here. I contend it's time they stand up in UNISON, on ONE stage, and make a Loud and clear Clarion Call to the Nation, that our country is in PERIL, right NOW, of losing everything we've ever stood for, to a demagogue, who is very, blatantly showing us, that he, Trump, intends to undermine our European alliances that have held since 1949, as he upends NATO just before sitting down, ALONE, with his best pal, Putin. Where are the Paul Reveres at this crossroads? The silence is SCARY.
11
Even if we were to play along with this latest round of Fox phony facts and agree that Germany is at the mercy of Russia, Trump thinks Putin is a great guy so where's the harm? And by the way, assuming he does not do the research himself, who supplies the president with the bogus statistics he relies on?
13
First of all, thank you, world NATO leaders, for putting up with this guy. You obviously despise him--as do the majority of Americans--but are doing your best to placate him with as much small talk and phony-smiles-for-the cameras as are humanly possible. We here realize you are keeping up appearances while you take the reins of the free world in America's absence and/or until we return a sane president to the world stage. Until then, hang in there. And pray for our success in turning this horror show around.
26
Americans voted for this man. The majority obvious favored him and his Conservative policies. And recent polls show him likely to be reelected in two years time.
We are getting what Americans wanted including a strongly Conservative Supreme Court. Best of luck Americans.
The majority in 2016 voted for Hillary Clinton. And today 60% disapprove of him, according to the most recent polls. It is possible he will be re-elected. But the US has not yet seen what's in the Mueller report. I so remain hopeful, in spite of
it all.
2
I fear President Trump is just a symbol of the slow erosion of democracy, something we also see here in Europe with populist parties and regimes coming to power.
While western Europe recognizes that Trump represents the interests of Russia, NATO must still act as if the U.S. had a representative at the summit. As an American, I truly appreciate our allies ignoring Trump's protestations on behalf of Russia and recognizing that this defense organization, created by the United States to protect us and Europe from an aggressive Russia, is needed more than ever. Merci beaucoup!
11
Hey Republicans, was your tax cut and judges worth it?
Look what it bought you. The destabilization of the western alliance, and the shame and rebuke of the civilized world.
To echo Churchill, with Trump, you get dishonor now and war later.
19
Strange that a bankruptcy king and Russia dependent would accuse Germany of financial impropriety.
10
Europe,
Please realize that the head of the GOP political party is not able to communicate as far from being a knowledgeable adult. I cringed listening to him carry on this morning. We can not let him represent America as a country of haters. A belief that people need to be put in cages and the list of insanity messaging goes on by this one man wrecking crew. With the support of the passive GOP who shouldn't worry about reelection because they don't deserve to be in any position of authority since none of them care about this country. The Russian trolls, but we will vote and change this picture.
7
What's different between the United States, North Korea and Israel?
North Korea - spends a lot of money on the military. It's a dictatorship where the dictator couldn't care less for the well being of its people.
Israel - spends a lot of money on the military. It's a democracy where the neighbors (all dictatorships) want to destroy it. It needs to spend for protection.
United States - spends a lot of money on the military. It's a democracy (still). We care about the people (still). Nobody wants to destroy it. Money spent on military is by choice.
1
When the Secretary of Defense has to explain to NATO members that the president does not speak for the citizens of the United States, the problem is made painfully obvious.
Madman trump must be removed before the entire globe is damaged.
Bringing trade discussions into NATO, a mutual defense organization, show how disconnected he is from reality and his piggy bank comments show that the only thing he thinks he understands is money. And NATO is less about money than unity and cooperation.
I fear what he will give away to putin later this week.
16
So Trump should cut to the chase: pull out of NATO, and become a founding member of a new Warsaw Pact, with Russia and other autocracies including on-the-verge-of autocracies, like Poland & Hungary and wanna-bes: Trump's USA
3
The statement from Trump regarding the 'appropriateness' of the former chancellor of Germany heading the pipeline company that’s supplying the Russian gas is mindboggling.
This is the guy who doubled down on the swampiness of Washington by filling his cabinet and appointments with lobbyists and former industry executives who make no secret of their cozy relationship with 'special' interest groups. Look at the acting head of the EPA, no better than the old boss.
The shamefully blatant hypocrisy of Trump and his republican stooges in Congress does not reflect well upon American voters.
12
NATO countries are this moment hearing helpful pitches from American arms manufacturers and merchants on how to make Pres Donald happy.
5
When the time comes to spend on military equipment or Supply purchases, I hope each of these NATO countries spends every last iota of their budget on items NOT made in the United States. And this is coming from whose family was supported by earnings made through the military industrial complex.
16
As long as they beef up their militaries so they are an actual force to be reckoned with, that is what matters.
The geriatric, yet juvenile, delinquent (I'm as old as Trump) calling our European allies delinquent. Remind me: What do shrinkers call this imputing one's own traits to others?
12
projection
Unpopular opinion: Trump is correct. In purely factual terms, we have upheld more than our fair share, and other nations simply have not. Germany is dependent on Russia for 60-70% of its natural gas resources, and although it only makes up 20% of it's total energy usage, it's the fastest growing energy sector in the nation. An anecdote to add - Germany's biggest energy source is actually coal, at 40%. That's about 10% higher than us. So although they are not "captive", they are surely influenced by Russia trade, at a time when they are also calling them out (and rightly so). This makes them hypocritical.
Trump's points are unfortunately somewhat valid, although his language is pure vitriol and cancels out most of what he's saying.
14
Although our president’s position may have some validity, it ignores everything other than financial contributions, and his bullying approach just doesn’t work, as you point out in your final paragraph. His approach to diplomacy is revolting and I can only believe it will be counter-productive.
3
The United Statesimports 90 percent of your net imported oil from Canada. And what percentage of the electricity on the US eastern seaboard is generated in Canada? So does that mean the US is hostage to Canada?
Plus, now Trump is demanding that NATO countries spend at least 4 percent of their GDP on military. Even the ridiculously bloated US military only represents 3.5 percent of US GDP, and a significant proportion of that is spent on non-NTO interests (60 percent of your navy budget is spent in the Pacific. What about the other branches? So do you even have 2 percent of your GDP in military assets that are for the benefit of NATO? And since Trump wants to be buddies with Putin, who is NATO soposed to be arming up against?
6
Ok... and for a change now... some truth... and not just the mindless repeat of a Presidents fact less words...
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-dependence-imported-...
Putin is laughing at how well his plan worked. Unbelieveable that the Republicans are going along with Trump on this. Republicans are truly becoming enemies of the whole world.
41
President Trump is destroying the world order. And that is a good thing.
The Pax Americana order has been failing for about 20 years, as the U.S. share of the global economy and military might has steadily eroded.
Unfortunately, as the benefits to the U.S. of the global order fell, the costs actually increased. The U.S military expense has grown as it tries to maintain its military dominance, and the offshoring of manufacturing and influx of low-wage immigrants has exacted an economic cost. Predictably, this is reflected in growing levels of public and private debt in the U.S.
It’s time for a change. Europe/NATO must bear the true cost of their own defense, as must Japan and other economically developed allies. The U.S. must take actions to reduce trade deficits, especially with adversaries such as China.
Pax Americana served the U.S. well for many decades, but is simply unsustainable. It is destined to fail, either through a gradual diffusion of costs/responsibilities to like-minded U.S. allies, or eventually in sudden, chaotic upheaval with military confrontations. In short, we need to negotiate a new, better deal for the U.S.
Trump can destroy. But can he build? That is the question.
9
Mr Trump sees diplomacy as business
So maybe we will ask for a refund for the billions we injected in the afghan quagmire because we were « allies »
4
Public debt has increased due to the long recession the US went through. Keep in mind that the recession was extended by the Republican Congress in 2011 when they decided to reduce payments to states and the states started laying off many people. They said it was more important to reduce the deficit than reducing unemployment. Of course, higher unemployment lead to higher deficits anyways. The Republicans were willing to accept higher unemployment to make President Obama look bad. Now that the US is close to full employment, the Republicans decided now is the time to stimulate the economy with the tax cuts, which are increasing the deficit. Of course the main reason to stimulate the economy now is they have a Republican president, so they want a strong economy now. It appears that the Republican Congress will do whatever is needed to make a Democratic president look bad, even if it is bad for the country. Whatever happened to putting the good of the country ahead of party affiliation?
1
@John: you mention others need to increase their military/defense spending. Why not the other half of the equation and that the US decrease its spending on military. We can achieve far more with peaceful diplomacy that military might.
Our defense spending needs to be right sized to what's needed to defend our country. Get out of Iraq/Syria. Get out of Afghanistan. Get out of South Korea. Get out of the Middle East. Get out of Africa. Act like Canada, or Norway, or other sane ally. They are on much friendlier terms with the rest of the world due to their non-aggression than being a bully from the US. Finally, put trump's kids and grandkids and all the politicians' children and grandchildren on the front lines of our military. What's politicians says is good for American defense must mean it's good to put their families on the front line too!
Trump carries his bald-faced lying with him wherever he goes, opening the NATO summit with the avowal that the US provides 90% of the direct NATO budget. The truth? It's 22%. He lashes out at those NATO members who haven't yet met the goal of spending at least 2% of their GDP. The truth? Almost all NATO members have either reached that target or are on course to achieve it. Furthermore, the target date for reaching the goal is 2024, not 2018. There will be more. We in the US have gotten used to his unapologetic mendacity, but it's hard to imagine the degree of self restraint practiced by the heads of state at the summit. It must be very hard to practice diplomacy against a loose cannon whose ignorance, lying and adolescent confrontational attitude is key to everything he says. What a stinging embarrassment he is.
31
Having survived growing up on the south side of Chicago and learning how to deal with thugs, bullies, miscreants, and going to Mt. Carmel High School* and Cornell University* where I learned more about dealing with different types of tbm-s, and learning to survive news rooms and academic departments (knock on wood) where there also were tbm-s, I always knows that there always comes a time when you really have to get back into their faces and really push back or suffer the consequences.
*Played on school basketball teams where tam-s also had to be dealt with.
4
Which side are you referring to here?
Trump is making matters worse for himself and drawing more criticism after he called Germany a "captive" of Russia, even though Germany has the right to endorse a Russian project. He is also straining the relationship between the United States and some of its NATO allies by claiming they have failed to contribute their share to the organization, even though none of them have never failed to pay their contributions. This is the type of move that will cause a strained alliance between the US and allies. Trump needs to realize the US is not the dictator of these other countries even though it is very strong.
6
As I bow my head in shame at being an American, I plead with the world to not lose faith in the fact that there are many who do not harbor, foster or support the vileness being spewed by the US government at this unpleasant juncture in country's history.
31
I wonder if Trump and his base would agree to a commensurate reduction in the overall US military budget if NATO countries did in fact increase their commitments.
16
We spend on defense and do not protect our citizens: they are getting shot in class at high school on a regular basis.
What a waste.
Remember the supposed "Peace Dividend" from the end of the Cold War? What happened to that?
18
The Cold War Peace Dividend was what powered the 1990's economy, just as the WWII Peace Dividend powered the 1950s. Times change however.
1
Germany should say aufwiedersehn to U.S. troops, make a deal with China to replace the dwindling U.S. market for its cars, maintain trade and cooperation with Iran, and sign a defense pact with its new Russian friends against inevitable U.S. and Israeli hostilities.
5
Germany gets 80% of its energy from Russia, just signed a multi-billion gas pipeline deal with Russia, and former German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder sits on the board of several Russian energy companies. Perhaps the New York Times and other mainstream media can talk about this a little bit?
We are repeatedly lectured by the mainstream media that Russia is the "boogeyman" - meddles in elections around the world including right here in the U.S and sows discord and discontent everywhere (By the way, they still have not told us exactly how Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election!)
In any event, we finally have a U.S. President that is not afraid to take on the false narratives of the corporate media oligopoly establishment. He does it for one purpose - the benefit of the American taxpayer.
7
I believe we have a great deal of public information on Russian interference with our election.
4
It is fairly clear how they interferes. By manipulating the voter through false memes and social media. It worked on many. Such as those who repeatedly assert that the assertions of influence are unproven.
2
So can we talk about how much money Trump owes Deutschebank and the Chinese government and now the Indinesians, let alone Jared Kushner's strange little $800 mil refi deal with Kuwait?
Germany's new pipeline - If Russia controls Germany, Canada must control the United States - Keystone Pipeline
20
Makes perfect sense. According to our illustrious draft dodging leader, the Canadians burned down the White House in 1812. Go figure.
Listening to Morning Joe I notice they discuss everything except explaining is Western Europe dependent on Russian energy?
4
Morgan Rauch, the same reason that we bought oil from Arab countries for decades despite their stated views that Israel should not exist. We bought oil from Arab states because they had the oil and we needed it. So we did not let, in that instance, our economic interests be governed by our foreign policy or national security concerns. Likewise, Germany has no choice. They must get natural gas from somewhere, preferably the closest vendors considering natural gas - unlike oil - generally cannot be stored till later but must be conveyed thru pipelines.
Republican voters do not care about NATO or international relations, save for Russia.
6
Thank you Doug Mills for capturing a perfect image of the rebirth of US Isolationism in Brussels.
8
Trump, a deadbeat, lectures other countries on their spending habits. The other countries he lectures to provide their people with health care and education while Trump wants them to spend more on bombs.
24
Trump....a man who knows how to win friends and influence people.
10
Germany and other countries in Europe have made a massive effort to adopt renewable energy production like solar and wind, in part for environmental reasons but just as urgently to be free of dependency on Russian oil and gas. They have extensive plans in place to move to all renewable energy as quickly as they can; something the US cannot do because of Big Oil's control of Congress.
Trump made no mention of that effort--I guess the Kochs would not approve.
15
European Union countries not spending the benchmark 2% on defense aren't being unfair to the United States but to their eastern members. Countries bordering potential enemies such as Estonia and Greece spend on defense while their larger and much more secure allies such as Germany dominate policy conversations while contributing little. With Brexit, Poland will be the only large EU country contributing the 2% goal. Though France should soon meet the goal, the overall complacency given to European defense by western governments is appalling. Hopefully the funding dialogue will result in fairer spending practices, not for the United States, but for Europe.
6
It seems so simple in some ways; on the one hand, Russia has thousands of nuclear warheads pointed at the US and Europe, and we maintain a huge arsenal to provide for stability based on the doctrine of mutually assured destruction. On the other hand, united Europe is a vibrant, wealthy trading partner, that helps to uphold, and demonstrate, the values of freedom, human rights, and democratic government, while supporting (with troops, refugee assimilation) our aims around the world. You can quibble about the desirability of the US cutting defense spending (I say do it) but it should be obvious to any American who our friends and allies are, and why that is important.
13
How quickly we forget. Ronald Reagan was instrumental in the break up of the Soviet Union. It was firm but quiet diplomacy. After 9/11 our allies stepped up to the plate to support the US. Now we have this man-child Donald Trump (children learn, this man seems not to even understand the ramifications of his action.) First, he insulted our traditional allies at the G-7 held in Quebec, then he began a series of tariffs that have morphed into a trade war. He had threatened to escalate the battle with China by another $200 Billion, followed by more. Instead of Making America Great Again, companies are fleeing America, Tesla, to China for example. In light of Trump's opposition to NAFTA auto manufacturers and other high tech manufacturers like medical device, makers are going south.
At the NATO meeting, he has already insulted the countries which have arrived and openly supported British PM Theresa' opposition.
In history class, he never learned about the alliance between the USA under President FDR and PM Winston Churchill that help to win WW II. Then after a visit to the UK, you can only imagine the reception he will receive, he is off to visit his real friend Vladimir Putin. We must depend on the Fourth Estate and the voters in the Midterm elections to checkmate this threat to American's security.
13
Wherever he is, Trump speaks only to his base. Those actually in the room with him are merely props in the unending procession of his campaign speeches. There is only one way to interpret anything he says: How does it help him personally?
10
The 1st World is waiting with bated breath for Trump to be pilloried the first Tuesday in November.
6
Personally I'm waiting for all that junk food to finally sock it to his arteries but in the meantime I'll settle for Democratic wins in November.
It’s not going to happen. Russian hackers paperless electronic voting machines = another stolen election,
To answer a reader’s question, how America could suffer such a sharp nosedive in the quality of its diplomats, from a high of brilliant, dignified statesmen like George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower to the low of our present head of state, Donald Trump, that’s an easy one: our flawed version of capitalism. America’s pro-shareholder/pro-wealthy/anti-worker economic philosophy has led to gross wealth and income inequality and the stagnation of the majority of Americans stuck in the middle and lower working classes. This harsh reality has increased economic anxiety to the point where our values have been significantly compromised. Most Americans are desperate for populist leadership to level this economic imbalance. Sadly, for a large minority of voters who voted for U.S. President in November of 2016, a celebrity, who pretends to be a populist, fit the bill.
7
I am astounded by how little Trump and his base understand facts. The 2% spending target is not a current commitment but a goal set for 2024, still six years away. No one is "delinquent" or owes the US any payments. Are they that clueless? Can't they read the facts or do they just listen to the gospel according to Trump?
26
Clueless would be a huge step up.
5
Trump is lying and misleading in his criticism of NATO, a fact check is later in this article. No member country has failed to make it's payment, and the 2% GDP is a target for 2024 that seemed, at least until Trump's temper tantrum, to be on target to accomplish. Perhaps because they realize how misleading and dangerous this current false narrative and policy is, the Senate approved a resolution 97 - 2 declaring support for NATO. I do not recall any other time the entire Senate has voted in direct contradiction of the President's stated foreign policy. Does that not break through to Trump's followers?
How can Trump apologists expect to be taken seriously when they only regurgitate the obvious lies from Trump and his bubble? Suddenly Trump declares there is a crisis and the world is unfair to poor little USA, and his followers parrot the same lines. We look foolish, to believe such obvious lies; fearful, to be retreating behind our borders and disengaging from the world; and weak, to be constantly crying how unfairly we are treated.
Just as imposing tariffs will result in our trading partners finding other sources, so abdicating our world leadership will result in other countries taking the lead. Once lost, those relationships cannot be easily restored. This administration, this mutation of the GOP, is doing harm to our country that will take generations to repair.
17
He will never understand how NATO works because the man is incapable of understanding how friendships—even in the most primitive sense of the word—are supposed to work. If you have any doubt, look at the trail of people he has used and discarded.
Everything is a transaction for him. Everything is about bringing his ego instant gratification. The grown-ups in the room (if any remain in the GOP) need to assert themselves if the US is to preserve what little remains of our credibility as a world leader.
9
The Trump Show continues. As with domestic policy, his international policy is focused on his need and pleasure of getting people's ire up while he is in control and in the spotlight. How did we get here? There needs to be changes made in our electoral college system of electing a president and gerrymandering to elect our congress, both of whom choose our Supreme Court justices. However, those who are responsible for this fiasco are creating a system that becomes more entrenched and no longer represents the majority of Americans and their values.
5
Could someone please brief the President on the last 100 years of European history? It seems he is demanding that those nations substantially rearm themselves. He may want to consider that this sort of plan has not worked out well on a couple of occasions in the past.
9
Here's something you can do right now Donald. Cut US spending on NATO to the EU and Canada levels. With the savings you can do right for Puerto Rico, start up your infrastructure plan, provide affordable health care or give a huge tax cut to the 1%. I wonder which one he will choose.
9
There's is little doubt Trump is either a paid or non paid agent of Russia, probably since 1989. His actions and words simply tally up to that conclusion.
19
Breaking News: Trump now demanding that NATO Members spend 4% of GDP. Obviously, if Pres. Obama got an agreement for 2% then Trump MUST have 4%.
Assuming 50-80% of this "new" spending will involve US arms manufacturers will US GDP increase by a trillion!
I trust all NATO members will collectively say "NO"....let trump withdraw the US...he'll get more grief at home than anywhere else.
3
Talk about a great ROI (return on investment) by Putin and his gang!
Even in their wildest fantasies they couldn't have imagined how much damage Trump would do to the world order, the USA, Europe, and NATO.
THIS should be the subject of a major investigation -- before it's too late...
12
What does putin have on trump?
This has to come out soon. We can't continue to have putin calling the shots for America.
10
It’s time the NYT tells the truth every day. To our allies : Trump is a dolt. He does not represent the majority of Americans. We apologize. Please don’t do anything that might destroy our relationship. This period of insanity will pass. Please be patient.
15
Well said.
1
How absurd that readers here mock Trump for criticizing Germany. Germany has enabled Russia to build a pipeline into Germany. The consequence is it and fellow EU nations will be buying natural gas with Russia, thus funneling billions of dollars into the Russia economy. Wow, that's really putting sanctions on Russia. Where are Liberals here complaining about that?
Why not buy gas from the USA? Germany will be dependent on Russia and, in a crisis or just on a whim, Russia can and will cut off the gas just as it did to Ukraine.
6
Europe is actively expanding renewable resources to ween themselves off of Russian energy; more to the point, exporting natural gas across the Atlantic isn't exactly an economically feasible proposal
2
65-70% dependence on Russia is not weening off. Buying from the USA is. Like oil, gas would be delivered by freighters.
Reducing its dependence by 50% would be a big step forward. It would also help our economy.
Germany and other NATO countries should increase the shadow price they charge the US military for space for bases and other services (schools, etc) provided for military personnel. Crank the prices up until they hit the silly 2% level and say "Job Done." Now sell us US natural gas at prices competitive with what Gazprom offers, or maybe a little lower because Americans are not trustworthy, and we will shift our purchases there. And Chancellor Medkel should start wearing a "Keeping Germany Great" hat to all meetings with our jerk in chief.
7
Of course the troops Germany has deployed to support our continuing Afghan debacle and the military aid Germany furnishes to the Balkan countries--where we aren't even a presence--don't count as "NATO defense spending".
Maintaining a fighting force in Afghanistan is very costly. If Germany withdrew completely from Afghanistan and spent that money on its own defense, it would take some of the swagger out of Capt. Bone Spurs.
11
The president is remarkably consistent. Almost everything that he does, in every setting, with every audience, is to appeal a hypothetical angry white Fox News viewer who feels both cheated and powerless.
Addressing or merely expressing these "grievances" is all that matters to this hypothetical voter, not the quality of policy, American values or even the truthfulness and accuracy of the president's comments.
Are there actual voters who closely fit this marketing model? There seem to be, but odds are there will no longer be enough of them to win an election in 2020. Hopefully Mr. Trump will use this visit to examine the fate of Mr. Johnson.
13
Why does nobody, including the NY Times, challenge this person? I go to the BBC and learn that gas comprises less that 20 percent of Germany's energy. Even if up to 70% of German gas comes from Russia, that equates to 14% of Germany's energy. Trump, who is a living, breathing lie, replaced the word "gas" with the word "energy." Up to 70 percent of Germany's gas comes from Russia, not 70% of Germany's energy. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-44794688
26
Can’t you chaps find a way of bringing Eisenhower or Marshall back to send this blockhead away? Maybe set Elon Musk to the task, he seems quite clever? No?
7
I don't know about bringing Ike back, but we'd love nothing more than to give this psycho the boot.
2
Mat,
The Cold War ended almost 30 years ago, why does NATO even still exist? Britain is leaving the UK, Scotland wants to leave the UK; the US should leave NATO.
1
Britain isn't leaving the UK. Britain is the nucleus of the UK. Britain is leaving the EU and just now realizing the disaster of trying to disentangle yourself from a complex alliance that for the most part works. (Conversely, Scotland and Northern Ireland would love to leave the UK so they could stay in the EU.)
The marketplace is a global one. That's a fact. And all the huffing and puffing by the Trumpettes and the Brexiters won't change a thing. -- thegamesmenplay.com
The obvious answer is for the US to spend less on the military and more on healthcare, education, infrastructure, green energy...
It seems as if the US wants the other NATO members to buy more guns, etc. from the US. An outrageous demand that is complex to get into Trump-like soundbites. The point of NATO is to fight enemies we have in common that are physical threats.
We are far too warlike. Nationally and internationally. It's the MIC, stupid.
11
That will never happen and you know it. The Alliance will be with us for another 30 years at least. Montenegro joined NATO recently. North Macedonia is a future member. You must accept reality, even if you choose not to look at it.
3
I don't know who told Trump about Germany's energy pipeline deal with Russia, but it's pretty spot on. From this article, "He criticized Germany for giving approval for Gazprom, the Russian energy titan, to construct the Nord Stream 2 pipeline through its waters, a $10 billion project." It's negative environmental and economic can not be overstated. However, I don't know or believe he cares so much about that as much as he gets nothing out of the deal.
5
He's not wrong about Nord Stream, nor is he wrong about the defense targets, which is something Obama also routinely criticized the other NATO countries on. It's hypocritical for Europe (mostly Germany) to demand that America fight Russia on its behalf while European businesses cut deals with the Russians on the side. For NATO's sake, we have to let the Germans know that we will not give them a free pass with these kinds of schemes.
On another topic - Trudeau flat out refused to increase Canada's defense spending. Some friend that guy is.
7
Why should Trudeau go to bat, given the way Trump has treated him? -- thegamesmenplay.com
As Churchill said without the threat of US retaliation Mr Stalin would have been warming his feet by the fire at 10 Downing Street creating a communist empire twice the size of the United States. And now we have Putin's Russia kept in check by the same threat. The US has been quietly arming Poland and Germany is no longer in a favoured position. Trump has no love for Merkel and of course he's going to call her out and upset her cosy apple cart.
9
They are delinquent in paying for their fair share for our protection
3
After listening to Trump's remarks to NATO members, I think an articulate college sophomore with a survey course in modern European history would have been a better and well-informed U.S. representative.
Trump's whole approach is ignorant, offensive, and embarrassing.
26
Strange things are happening. Obviously the Russians interfered in the 2016 US elections. And now we see the same happening in Europe: Trump is doing the same thing a lot less subtile: flirting with the ultra right populists, supporting nitwits like Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, undermining Merkel... Putin couldn't do it better. And we in Europe should accept this? A man without style, without education, without historical insights... A man who cheats and lies, threatens en bullies... A man who does not know how diplomacy works, who accuses others of all the vices he himself is the ultimate incarnation of... A man who hasn't the even slightest idea of what economy is about... A man who can only think in terms of greed and misplaced self pity... Such a man has no authority at all, let alone moral authority, to tell us what we should or should not do.
We lost decennia of civilization, and it will take decennia to restore the trust we lost. Wished it was only a Trump problem, but the man was elected democratically (though I don't understand at all how a system that doesn't count a vote as what it is: a vote, can be called democratic) and surely is still supported by his party.
There is certainly something rotten in the United (?) States of America...
24
We can't call our election system democratic because it isn't. You can google "electoral college" for an understanding of why not. Still I am astonished at the number of people who continue to support Trump, even if they are Republicans. I feel as though I have been naive about the nature of my country for all my long life. I certainly did not comprehend the support for evil that Republican leaders give Trump. Further, there is consensus, in those parts of our government that are still honest and patriotic, that Russia influenced our election.
I don't think Europe should accept what Trump is doing, and, where I live, i don't know anyone who does. We hope to change this horrible existing political equation in November and to see Mr. Mueller's investigation succeed.
3
“One May smile and smile and be a villain, “ at least here with the rotten GOP and rotten to the core Trump who sold himself odd to Putin at the Moscow Ritz.
1
President Trump states exactly the same things that President Obama and President Bush have previously said, to many of the same leaders. He however says them the way a property agent in NY would talk to janitorial service demanding a discount. Our policy has not changed one iota. FYI, it is an example of why people across the country when receiving complaint calls from NYC customers tell co-workers “another NY call” and co-workers roll their eyes to commiserate.
You created him. People in the Midwest did not. It takes all kinds to do business.
4
More power to you, President Trump!!! Unfortunately too many progressive liberal socialists suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome. Scary how many American are ANTI American!
8
It isn't anti-American to criticize Trump since we live in a free country where dissent is allowed.
5
More power to a president who clearly has a lot of power already. Doesn't sound very American to me.
2
If we did not LOVE our Country SO MUCH there would be no outrage from "progressive liberal socialists" or others.
ANTI-TRUMP is not ANTI-AMERICAN!
Costa Rica abolished their military in 1948 and has spent money instead on tourism, healthcare, education, and biodiversity projects. I'd rather spending on that than on the military industrial complex.
7
It has a national police force that patrols its borders very well. Do not try to sneak into Costa Rica without authorization.
PROJECTION
Projection, thy name is Trump. Just a few samples:
Germany is a captive of Russia.
Our NATO allies are delinquent.
Not a puppet, not a puppet, you’re the puppet!
American carnage.
Fake news.
Liars!
Witchhunt!
Lock her up!
Crooked Hillary.
Crooked Hillary’s collusion with Russia.
They’re bad people, bad, bad people, really bad.
They don’t know how to make great deals.
Obama left us in really bad shape.
We’ve been losing for years.
What we have always known is that there are people like this. They’re called brats and they often become bullies. Whether it’s a psychology problem, a brain chemistry problem, a genetic problem, a spiritual problem, or a karma problem, it is in all instances a problem.
What we did not know is that this country could be so ignorant as to elect a problem person like this to the most powerful political position in the history of the world.
And what continues to shock is that with all the facts and evidence of this problem clearly in sight, 40 percent of the country continues to support this problem.
Which means: We are the problem.
20
Your point is excellent. And that is the most depressing part of all. We indeed are the problem. It is scary that such dark forces were right beneath the surface. Careful, thoughtful leaders who valued integrity kept the evil impulses in check. This buffoon has given license to haters.
3
What is wrong with Trump? Does he always have to insult people and start fights everywhere he goes? He's an embarrassment, a real ugly American.
16
Doesn't the headline shot of Trump the Smug say it all?
10
Yes, it does, just like last time when shoved another member around.
2
The President is deliberately trying to destroy the Atlantic Alliance as if he were working for Putin. One starts to wonder whether he actually does, especially when articles like this are being published in mainstream mags like New York. Terrifying! http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/trump-putin-russia-collusio...
8
Appreciate the link. Thanks.
1
You stay classy, Donald.
If anyone is a "captive of Russia", it's Donald Trump. Tell me something, Donald: if being a "captive of Russia" is such a bad thing, why are you praising Putin so much in your discourse?
To the rest of the world: America collectively apologizes for this walking buffoon who thinks he has earned the right to throw his weight around. We're just trying to hang on until the midterms. The 2020 elections seem so very far away. Please know that one day, when we are free of this stupid, gross man and his enablers, we will once again work to be the dignified, tolerant, thoughtful, and intelligent ally whom you have always known us to be, and whom you, despite the differences we may share, have respected for many years.
To the people of the U.K., who will be graced with Trump's noxious presence very soon: please know that this moron is not representative of the American people. If you wish to see what the best of America is on the international stage, please look to your new Duchess of Sussex. She's a far better representative of American people who value kindness, tolerance, diversity, intelligence, dignity, and grace than Don the Con as he sleazes his way across the pond. Please remember that we are the country that produced JFK, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and many others. Please give our respectful regards to Her Majesty the Queen. In this visit especially, as in all other things, may God save her.
35
It is a national shame, and reason for the rest of the world to laugh at us, to have a guy like this represent America. Is this a result of our "great democratic process", or the product of right wing fascist leaning American oligarchs' money and control of our "democratic" system and all the politicians, that we can have a guy like this president? What a country!!!
12
Nato Needs Update, Overdo.
Trump needs ankle bracelet and a very terminal disease - OVERDO
8
Europe has no choice but to treat Trump as if he has been compromised by the Russians and that he is their agent. All of the available evidence and his own actions suggest that this is the only reasonable explanation for his actions and his treatment of our long term allies.
12
The Republicans opposed the creation of NATO in 1949, just as they opposed the Marshall Plan in 1948. Their hatred for Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman was much like their present day hatred for Barack Obama.
From Dwight Eisenhower to George H.W. Bush, the Republican foreign policy wing has benefitted from European and Russian refugees. Men like Henry Kissinger, for example, who for all his faults at least saw the world as bigger than a West Virginia coal mine. Unfortunately, today’s refugees come from places whose strategic importance is harder for the Republican mind to grasp.
The late George Kennan, whose memoirs offer deep insight into the American foreign policy of the Truman and Eisenhower period, was continually amazed by how far the minor domestic goals of U.S. politicians could outbalance the American national interest in relations with other countries. So it’s not as if the Trump Republicans are anything new.
NATO began as a focused defense arrangement and military welfare scheme, which at the time was highly relevant. It has since evolved into a broad political club that cannot possibly support its declared military objectives. It has friends and enemies. Its future could go in many possible directions.
However, the traditional enemies of NATO have long been present in America as well as Russia, and we’re seeing that clearly today.
4
By Trump's logic, we must be owned by Canada - with the pipeline going through our country to Texas. And Canada has been labeled a national security threat so that he could put tariffs on them. So, President Trump, should we stop that pipeline?
12
You lost me at "Trump's logic". It's a good point, K Shields, but as Trump does not operate under any form of logic, he can and surely will claim the pipeline is a different situation. We are wandering in the wilderness of the Trump alternate universe, bound by his fantasy rules.
3
As a European, I grew up in a cocoon: grateful for the American umbrella of protection, constantly surrounded by snobs who looked down on Americans.
It's time for us Europeans to cut it out. Be nice to the Americans who are supplying so many of their young soldiers to protect us - or pay our own way.
8
of course he did. did we expect anything else?
3
Trump is clearly the north end of a south-bound horse. His little "speeches" result in nothing but verbal road apples.
7
Delinquent? How many vendors has Trump stiffed over the years?
34
Takes one to know one, I reckon.
1
Most likely every vendor he did business with.
1
We shouldn’t assume that the Germans are the only ones being held captive by the Russians’ use of their resources. When a former German chancellor ends up heading a Russian state-owned oil company, it’s entirely possible for the GOP members of our own executive and legislative branches to be swayed by Putin’s money . . . or blackmail. How else (or better) to explain the odd behavior of our Republican leaders toward the Kremlin, especially our government’s unwillingness to challenge them over election meddling?
11
Is it too early for Americans who to ask for asylum in Europe?
8
Dear moto-science. I understand your concern (as the irony of your question). But really: you, Americans, delivered this dangerous clown, I hope that it will also be you, Americans, who will solve the problem. In November to start. Wish you all the luch (and feel free to visit Europe, always welcome).
4
Europe is a wonderful place (when they aren't trying to slaughter one another in large numbers); feel free to move there.
1
Randy Newman's 'Political Science' becomes reality in 2018.
5
The economy appears strong, though our national deficit is rising.
Were in a no-win position, somebody better start paying it down, perhaps Europe could come up with a Marshall plan for this country.
5
Good policies would be to reduce the defense budget to 2% of GDP and use the difference to rebuild the USA with better education, health-care for all, better infrastructure with high-speed rail service, affordable housing and so much more. The empire is overextended and has become too expensive as it is. The fake president needs to pay taxes in order to pay for military adventures himself.
1
It's obvious that Trump's a fool, as are his ardent supporters.
I wouldn't mind that so very much, but I do have a few nasty qualms about little things like, oh, what happened last time my country acted like this with regard to Europe and Asia, not to mention the fact that it's kinda odd to have an American President saying and doing things that look very like an old KGB officer named Putin has something on him.
Of course that could be completely wrong. After all, Trump's stupidity, his desperate need to whomp up the base and distract from his "Administration's" total incompetence, and maybe above all his trying to get us not to notice how much money he personally owes Deutschebank and the Chinese government (not to mention that weird $600 mil from Indonesia, and Kushner's little refi deal with Kuwait), well, they're plenty to explain this lunacy without all the Manchurian Candidate business.
I hope Trumpists are well and truly on board, because the way this is headed, their kids and grandkids are gonna end up fighting at least two wars.
10
Love it that you chose a picture with Trump's eyes closed. Symbolizes the state of his mind.
20
Since his election, Trump has exceeded my expectations--or fears. I honestly did not think he could be so bad. I never thought I would see the day when an American president could show so little sense of history, display proudly such ignorance, show such contempt for an alliance forged in the aftermath of a world war with countries with values we share, and act so boorishly with world leaders. How in the world did we do from George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower to Donald Trump? How?
The man is an embarrassment.
30
I agree. I knew he would be bad, but not this bad. My explanation for this is that the more he gets away with bad behavior, the more emboldened he becomes.
1
So many of us feel the same way!
The solution lies in us getting out the vote!
He is determined to insult our Allies! What does he mean "captive of Russia"? Seems he is the one who is captive of Russia. The only president in our history that is an admirer of dictators of the world.
1
Donald Trump usually projects his own failures and insecurities onto others.
His attack on Germany as being "captive of Russia" ought to be taken by the American public--and perhaps by Special Counsel Mueller--as further evidence of the collusion that brought Trump to the White House so that he could systematically trash American values, American diversity, and American democracy.
21
Trump may be boorish, and at times appears insensitive. But, he's not wrong either. NATO countries need to pay up.
2
Do you understand how NATO works?
1
Just a reminder, NATO paid a lot for the first gulf war. The USA is part of NATO because it is in its interest. One thing Europe and Russia have in common, they do not want a war on their soil, no more than the US would want a war at home.
"The truth shall set you free"
Unbelievable, this man is wrecking the West all by himself, nobody says or does anything and the opposite forces (Russia and China) rejoyce in their unprecedented opportunity.
20
Trump is the true enemy of the American people.
9
There are no words to express my disgust with this individual, his repugnant movement, or the failed humans in congress who support him, tacitly or otherwise. There are literally no words. He and everything he represents makes my stomach turn.
21
So it sounds like tax cuts were the first step in fueling the Trump economy, and the Trump makeover on NATO might be next. Voters might “feel” the difference by the 2018 election cycle if the message gets Tweeted. These world leaders look buzzed at this cocktail party, as if all is well. How to handle Russia? The answer may lie somewhere between Trump haters and Trump tolerators. Divisiveness is fashionable strategy used by both Putin and Trump and the public opts to be taken in.
2
This know-nothing president and his crass behavior might be acceptable in NYC real estate circles but bare knuckle brawling isn't the way to build consensus. With authentic world leaders who are trying to solve problems and help one another, Trump's braggadocious pronouncements are more distraction and a way to garner attention. Isn't there an adult we could have sent?
15
“Many countries are not paying what they should, and, frankly, many countries owe us a tremendous amount of money from many years back,”
said the man whose entire business model is based on not paying his bills.
10
The Russian military establishment can blow through what NATO has on the ground. The Russians have annexed territory twice in the past 10 years. Apparently, this doesn't sound familiar to Europe's current leadership. Last time it happened we got WWII. Yet they just will not step up and defend their own borders. For 60 years they have lived under the US defense umbrella. Now it's time for these healthy economies to pay up. Why is this hard to understand? I don't like the way Trump goes about this because it's not a wining strategy to annoy your allies. Yet, at the core, you have to admit that Russia IS a threat and that the European democracies are not ready to defend themselves against that threat. A little less emphasis on the Common Agricultural Policy - paying farmers - and a lot more emphasis on defense is really necessary. Just ask the people who live on the Crimean Peninsula.
1
Given the state of virtually all Western Militaries, it is obvious that the majority of Western Europeans, do not share your assessment of the Russian Threat. Therefore, NATO should be dissolved.
Let's put the latest Trump lie to bed quickly.
Only about 10 percent of the energy produced in Germany came from burning natural gas in 2017. (It aims to have 80 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2050.)
Russia provides 40 percent of the fuel that generates 10 percent of Germany’s power, that’s 4 percent of the country’s energy production. China held 7 percent of the U.S. national debt in 2016; is the U.S. “totally controlled” by China?
13
One need only listen to Donald's remarks when he emerged from his meeting with Emanuel Macron. I know a bright-eyed 4 year old who is more articulate than Donald.
6
Trumps behavior here, and everywhere else, is dizzying. We react to each assault on our norms as individual events but fail to take in the totality of what is happening. Since he is in Europe, lets not be ambiguous. The lessons for the world when an ego centric, narcissist, attacked stable democtracti institutions, pulled people out of civil society, attacked enemies, with impunity is clear. Trump has shown that he is willing to empower police law enforcement agencies to separate children from their parents and put them in cages. Our modern modern day Reichtag Fire has just occurred, its just not a fire this time.
10
Follow the money - if Trump can get NATO countries to spend more on their own defence what country are they going to buy all this military stuff from?
All that matters is profit.
7
When Trump told allies NATO is obsolete that was under orders I am sure from Putin to undermine the stability of the west. When Russia invades Poland and those countries again and the GOP don't stand up for them then the GOP has truly rotted to the corp.
2
If Russia is a threat to Western Europe, then one would expect the rest of NATO to be building up their militaries, not allowing them to whither away. Why should American boys (and girls) be sent 5,000 miles to do what young Europeans are obviously unwilling to do for themselves?
This is all an obvious sham. The Western democracies need to emphasize defense and war mongering to maintain market growth and sustainability. This has nothing to do with any Russian or Iranian menace. America is the world’s largest exporter of arms. The American government is captured by the military/industrial complex, hence Trump is dispatched to exhort the allies to buy more weaponry. The world is interdependent, economically. The Western world’s primary need for warfare is to secure natural resources from the third world. Russia, America, Japan, and Western Europe are partners in this effort. China and America are the world’s largest trading partners! One cannot survive without the other, economically. Trump’s lambasting the Western leaders is a poor attempt at theatre. Ultimately, the Europeans will acquiesce to both the US and the Russians. What other choice do they have? War?
2
The is a special hypocrisy by Trump in his condemning Germany for being in the pocket of Putin due to Germany's reliance on Russian natural gas, while Trump is also in Putin's pocket due to Trump's reliance on Russian oligarch funding. BOTH Trump & Germany are beholden to Putin and both absolutely refuse to acknowledge that special reality. (We should all remember that former German Chancellor Shroder has been Chairman of the Board of Russia's Nord Stream AG & Rosneft - both supply vital gas raw material to Germany's chemical giants.)
2
For 50 years the Left has called for cutting defense spending and shifting the savings to social safety net programs. Trump is angering those on the Left by exposing the reason we haven’t been able to do so: too many of our “allies” have done exactly that for their own benefit. Gime to grow up, face reality, and admit why other countries have been able to finance social welfare programs fir their own citizens at your expense.
4
You can't be serious. We put our money in the military because that's where the lobbyist tell them to put it. We've long passed the time when decisions were made for the good of the people. We make decisions to throw lavish amounts of money at big campaign contributors. If you don't know that, you are awfully naive.
2
our social welfare system in germany is about 150 years old. worked smoothly even in times when hardly anyone in the world was blaming us that we dont spend enough on our military.
2
Bill, While in the US Navy from 1971-1977 I deployed over and over again to patrol areas of the world of little or no interest to the US other than as fulfillment of our treaty obligations. I cannot emulate your cynicism because I have seen the reality.
If you “combine a charismatic personality with fringe beliefs and an appetite for violence, and you get some of history's most notorious cult leaders.“
That is what we are currently dealing with.
Jim Jones, eat your heart out.
15
I can vouch only for myself-I will not be drinking the Kool Aid, ever.
It seems to me that Trump tipped his hand, again -- that is, unconsciously revealed what he is doing -- by accusing others of the same thing. When he says Germany is "captive" to Russia, he inadvertently admits he is.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck.....
33
So utterly embarrassing. And dangerous. What destruction this fraud has wrought in such a short time.
33
Speaking of delinquent, when are you going to release those tax returns you promised us, Mr President?
47
Trump is destroying our strategic alliances with Western Europe and Canada in favor of Russia.
Trump is destroying the US economy with a hopeless trade war with China.
Trump has played the racist and bigot card again and again.
Trump is working overtime to take away the rights of women to control their own bodies.
He allowed North Korea to make fools of the US at the expense of our close ties with South Korea.
Trump has displayed unbounded inhumanity tearing children from the arms of their mothers.
Trump is the face of the Republican Party, a party that shows no loyalty to the American people whatsoever. For shame!!
Rise up America and fight for the flag so many have already fought and died for. Get out the vote!!
29
Actually South Korea manipulated this whole thing. They did it by playing to Trump's ego. They wanted to open relations with the north and they have accomplished it. Moon is a smart cookie.
Go to get people to vote!
1
For the 1,00oth time:
NATO members that are not at 2% are on their way to meeting that principle by 2024, which was the agreed upon date.
Russia, while not the USSR, is still a security threat.
Western democracies are critical to advancing human rights, economic stability, and international security.
20
Right.
They fool us the first 999 times and you want to believe them on their 1,000th try.
Then 2025, then 2028, then hopefully there is a democrat in office so we will quit asking.
How about let's not wait?
When will someone call the Donald out on the nonsensical claim that the US military spending is because of NATO? The US spends twice as much of it's GDP on the military compared to many European Countries, but that is largely not going towards NATO. That is going towards projecting US power all over the globe and waging wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. The US has some 65,000 Troops in the US, which is a drop in the bucket of a total of 1,100,000. And even the troops that ARE in Europe aren't mainly there to "protect" Europe, it is just that having large bases like Ramstein is convenient for the US and helps with maintaining their presence in the Gulf Region.
14
“The US spends twice as much of it's GDP on the military compared to many European Countries,”
The US also has obligations in East Asia, and all of our obligations require an extremely expensive support infrastructure. It would be far cheaper for Germany to defend themselves at home than it is for us to maintain a thousands of miles long logistic and strategic pipeline. Your post is misleading where it isn’t outright incorrect.
1
The next president will benefit from Trump's position, allies will think twice before they stiff us on paying their fair share.
5
What about the rich paying their fair share of the taxes?
5
.... under the proviso there are still allies, except Russia of course.
3
Turn off Fox and do some research Walter. The only one stiffing America is Trump.
7
Once he began demonstrating his antagonism for the benefit of the cameras, NATO's secretary and everyone else in the room should have stood up and walked out. Why suffer the slings and arrows of Boss Baby's abuse? Let him fulminate for the press until they, too, grow tired of listening to him and head for the exits.
32
We need to stop being his victims and that is a really good plan.
2
That's a great accompanying photo. Trump hasn't even sat down yet, and he's already asleep.
10
It's pretty interesting to say the least that a guy who hasn't paid taxes in 15 years is telling others they aren't paying enough. Don, YOU aren't paying enough.
47
Excellent point, Mike! Does the hypocrisy ever take a holiday? Is there no end to the lack of transparency, lack of self awareness and lack of impulse control?
No, no it doesn't. He's like a 14-year old with whiskey and car keys.
Love the photo. He is being talked around. He has zoned into his own hate filled world (sean hannity is probably whispering in his ear as he stands there alone) & the other leaders are talking with each other. This is exactly how the world should be treating the US. They should totally ignore the US & negotiate protective deals, trade deals, & humanitarian deals without the US. If the US can not play with the rest of the world, then the US should go home alone. The Good of the Many outweighs the Good of the One.
21
It is a marvel to watch a man who has serially bankrupted more companies than any person in modern person, while stiffing his lenders, investors, customers, contractors and employees, lecture other nations on their lack of financial probity.
This self-professed billionaire - who has run out of hotels without paying his bill - wags his finger at sovereign nations for not paying the US as if the nation were mob protection.
As an American citizen, I am deeply embarrassed that Putin was able to install this person in office, representing our nation on the global stage.
In just over a year, Trump has instituted tariffs creating havoc for domestic and international businesses; separated babies and toddlers from parents seeking sanctuary; created massive deficits to undermine the finances for Social Security; and destroyed the bridge to universal health care.
He does this from the gilded gates of Mar-o-Lago, living in grand opulence at taxpayer expense, charging US taxpayers dearly for the Secret Service to use the golf carts at his country club to protect his life.
He is Putin’s puppet, tearing the nation and other free nations apart from the inside while lavishing praise on ruthless dictators.
How the Republican Party leaders can choose party over country, a cult of personality over long-standing defining principles, reveals the weakness and ineptitude of GOP “leaders” today.
Reagan, Goldwater, and Eisenhower would not recognize today’s GOP.
31
Only in Trump's America would the POTUS be more gracious toward North Korea and Russia than toward our allies and trade partners around the world.
When Donnie has successfully alienated every allied nation on the planet, he can stand back and proudly declare:
"Mission Accomplished!"
21
Great, the U.S. Military budget and wars are bankrupting the U.S., so the countries that have financial priorities are supposed to follow suit? There are barely any U.S. politicians who can say no to a weapons program, it's the biggest racket going.
15
Europe has long been a free rider in not just paying their dues to NATO, but in many other areas, to pick one look at their failure to pay their share for the cost and development of drugs and medical therapies. Who pays for the overwhelming majority of the so called wonder drug's development, its not Europe they reap the benefits after the fact with price controls for their citizens? The virtuous European socialistic system cannot be disparaged and must be protected at all costs by the NYT and all like minded liberals. Wouldn't it be nice to at least start a discussion of a topic from the standpoint of "what is best for America" and it would seem fairly logical that what would be best for America is for Europe to pay the amount it has pledged to pay for joint defense, that really shouldn't be controversial. We are so afraid we might offend Europe, why are we afraid, there isn't another patsy out there they can replace the U.S. with and they all know it. Merkel should spend more time dealing with her own disastrous situation with immigration and the EU coming apart at the seams. By the way, the European immigration problem that primarily stems from Syrian refugees, (and these are real refugees unlike the overwhelming majority who show up at the US border), whose watch did that humanitarian crisis occur under? Wasn't that President purportedly admired and thought well of in Europe?
3
Please review article 5 of the NATO treaty and when/how it was invoked. Then examine the facts regarding how much of the GDP the U.S. CHOOSES to spend on its military industrial complex, as well as its willingness to historically insinuate itself into conflicts worldwide. WE have done this to ourselves. Finally, review effective strategies of bargaining and diplomacy (hint: trump is the antithesis of this).
Willful ignorance is not helpful here.
3
ISIS was created by GW Bush in person. He destabilized the entire Middle East all by himself (except Cheney and Condie Rice helped).
3
The collective defense reference is not particularly compelling as essentially there is a tiger who can show up to a problem area, but instead of having leopards and cheetahs with him he has domestic cats. If European countries will start paying the 2% that they stipulated to pay perhaps some of the domestic cats can grow to become panthers. Comrade Putin may have thought twice before he invaded a European nation (albeit a non-NATO country) at the time he annexed Crimea under 44. There are real world consequences to an emasculated Europe. Admittedly it is not in the world's interest for Germany to spend significantly above the consented amount as they have demonstrated a track record of wreaking unfathomable havoc upon the world.
I agree with Trump that the US should accelerate the winding down of the American Empire. Remove your bases from around the world, cut your defence budget by half, and focus on saving the US from the disintegration within.
9
Christopher, you think Trump should focus on saving the US from the disintegration within? Trump and his cronies are what's CAUSING the disintegration.
14
The dilemma for Angela Merkel is that she seems to believe in "social welfare" programs like refugees settlement and cannot afford to spend more on self-defense to meet the 2% goal unless she abandons her socialist agenda.
There is only so much money to go around and Germany should acknowledge it and admit it.
It is time to end this charade and call a spade a spade.
6
This is an uniformed statement.
Germany runs a fiscal surplus, while the US runs a massive fiscal deficit under Trump.
It is the US that cannot afford to spend nearly a trillion on the military during peacetime.
5-star General and President Dwight Eisenhower - a Republican president elected by the people without Russian assistance - warned the nation in his last address to Congress against the establishment of a military industrial complex.
Prior to World War II, the nation had no such diversion of resources. During the war, all industrial resources focused on winning the war. People sacrificed and were fully engaged to such a rare event.
In the last wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Bush and the Republican Congress voted on two tax cuts rather than pay for the war. They turned the Clinton surpluses into massive deficits, ending with the Financial Crisis.
The US spends more money on the military than the next 7 largest countries combined. 15% of the federal budget, roughly half of discretionary spending, goes to the military- rather than productivity enhancing infrastructure, basic research, renewable energy or other investments in America’s future.
It is wasteful in the best case. Combined with deep cuts in diplomatic resources at the State Department, it leads to war over peace.
3
The president is clearly a majority of one and an utter embarrassment.
16
If anyone heard his rumblings last week in Montana talking about "mouth and brain", I honestly believe that Big Orange has no clue and know nothing about NATO, and Europe. Trump is one of the ignorant person who unfortunately holds this office.
1
Once Trump is re-elected all this fear will be replaced with action. The end of the New World Order will usher in the war to end all wars and most of us will die because we were unwilling to stop it. Shall we run to the hills now or wait?
3
Probably better to run to the polls rather than the hills.
2
Woo! Mr. Trump has succeeded in one thing and one thing only: as the biggest bully and troll in the world. After his presidency, the image of the ugly American is going to be so clear around the world, everyone will know what it is at a whole new level. I just really wish at least some of those world leaders he has so belittled would call him a few names as he deserves. My hopes are with the French president, although I think they are just putting up with him for the time being, knowing there will be another president hopefully in just over 2 years. That is real hope!!
8
In sum, COMPLETE EMBARRASSMENT! We deserve better. Register and Vote!
28
Since when is Trump worried about people being under the control of Russia?
12
The picture says it all: Justin Trudeau and Merkel are anxious and happy to be as far away from Trump as they could get.
End this madness.
14
And Trump is asleep on his feet in this photo.
You're right.
Let's end this madness.
Somebody wake up Trump!
1
Want to really find out who benefits from NATO? Have the US pullout and see who starts panicking. It sure won't be the US.
Is Latvia going to help protect the US from invasion? Seriously.
We are going to start a nuclear standoff with Russia by engaging in a ground war in Latvia? Seriously, who wants to do that? Do you think it will be Europe who rushes to protect Latvia? They barely have a working squad of jets and about 7 days of munitions between them.
This is a bad deal by any reasonable measure. There are plenty of good reasons to retain NATO, but not where the US does all the work and gets very little benefit.
It is not a dichotomy of NATO / no NATO. The terms of this deal are no longer viable. Realistically a better deal is to force the EU to pay the US protection fees or go it alone.
2
Well, if the US isn't going to risk a nuclear war by engaging in a defense of a NATO ally, then who would "pay" more? Once we articulate that mutual defense is not in our interest, then there is no amount of pay that would make a European country feel like we would obey Article 5.
Like a bad health insurance company, the US would take the premiums and renege on the policy.
That's why it's so idiotic for someone to demand more contribution to NATO mutual defense while at the same time make it uncertain that the US would come to the mutual defense. Nobody is going to contribute more, Trump complains more with more implication he won't respect the mutual defense obligation, and they contribute less, he complains and implies more..... It only makes sense if Trump is acting for Putin.
1
I don’t hear too much being said anymore regarding Trump’s fitness for office. He works tirelessly to keep his campaign promises and to put American interests first. I don’t know how he does it at his age, but he seems energized by his success and by the confidence of those who voted for him. He made a very good point about the Germans when he noted they’re buying oil from Russia and sending pipelines there but then they supposedly need us to protect them from Russia—?! What did Obama do about it? Nothing. He had eight years as leader of the free world but he was just an empty suit.
4
First, Trump got his facts wrong about Germany's purchase of Russian gas.
Second, if destroying the natural environment, enriching his own family through unethical and perhaps illegal means, and selling out to big business at the expense of workers is putting American's interests first, then you and I live in different Americas.
4
Ed, if you don't hear it from anyone else, you can hear it from me.
Trump is psychopathic narcissist who is unfit for office, intellectually and morally. There isn't a sizeable company in this country that would hire him - that's how compromised he is. And right now he is working tirelessly to undo with NATO what every president since Truman.
Oh, one more thing. It's feasible that he has been turned into a Russian agent, working for Putin and now he's on his way to meet his handler.
5
Not sure who you talk to Ed but yes, the majority of the country still questions his fitness for office. On a daily basis.
As far as the “empty suit” Obama, let me remind you he-
He took office in 2008, inheriting the Great Recession, saved the economy, and cut the unemployment rate from 10% to 4.7% in six years.
He signed the Affordable Care Act which provided health insurance to over 20 million uninsured Americans.
He ended the war in Iraq.
He ordered the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
2
I am sure Angela Merkel cannot wait to switch energy dependence to the US, a country that so blatantly uses power to blackmail its allies.
7
yea. usa is far, far worse than russia. and yea- a trade hawk like trump who obsesses over trade deficits would be loathe to send gas/oil to germany. uh huh.
Is Trump asleep on his feet in this photo of the NATO leaders?
I know he's asleep at the wheel, but this photo is a bit disconcerting.
4
In this "family" photo, Trump poses like the relative who didn't want to attend.
The body language of the others speaks volumes!!
1
It’s interesting that if we somehow end up with a complete madman as President, our only hope is a group of corrupt Congress people eho are complicit.
The success of our government depends on two things:
1) an involved, informed citizenry, and
2) honest elected officials
Right now we are lacking on both points.
21
Reminiscence of Trump stalking Hillary during the debates. The body language is worth a thousand words. It's like a nasty fly buzzing around the room.
8
Why doesn’t Merkel take out a fly scatter?
The Russian menace and the Chinese menace have not disappeared. The U.S. needs such allies as Germany, Japan, Great Britain, France, and South Korea to keep the world's democracies intact and to keep the free-world's economies healthy. Donald Trump is acting like an economic ignoramus and a spoiled brat. He should resign his presidency immediately. All post-World War II presidents -- from Harry Truman to Barack Obama -- worked well with America's allies. Trumps is an international embarraassment.
18
His voters don't care about this behavior. This is a feature of what they like.
He's sociopathic true. Then again, it is true NATO members have taken advantage of the US compulsion to spend on defense by instead investing their GDP into social services/welfare state. Now the US due to financialization, globilization and monopolizaiton of our economy over time has millions of underclass that detest the elites everywhere.
And indeed the elites did fail. That's not to say that Trump isn't incompetent and mentally ill. He's just the rationale result of our systems.
watch what trump dies, not what he says. and yes- everything he complains about happens to be correct. smooth-talking obama simply ignored the issue. at least trump is not shy about it. the way elites cringe, just confirms how correct he is.
I used to dismiss Donald Trump as vulgar failure- someone not to be taken seriously. I have come to believe that he may be the greatest flim flam man in the history of the world. His use of lies, half-truths, innuendo and obfuscation is beyond brilliant (even if he doesn't know what half of those words mean). In effect, our nation has been conned; it's as if the United States is being schooled at Trump University and is on a steady diet of Trump steaks. God help us, and God forgive us.
27
Trump clearly is projecting his own guilt about being bought and owned by Putin to accuse Germany of the same. What a shameful traitor we and the world are suffering under now. This has to end.
13
The revulsion I feel for this sorry excuse for a President continues. His excoriation of other world leaders who are decent and thoughtful and put the welfare and future of their people above the bottom line is nauseating. Trust, civility and honesty are not part of the administration’s official discourse. The ramifications of its policies will echo down the ages, and the world will be the worse for it.
11
strawman. the issue is whether nato pays its share. it doesnt, no matter how many of our presidents whine about it. you should be thanking him. why should we pay their way?? and how many times are we going to complain about it and do nothing? kudos to trump, warts and all, for teling the world the emperor is wearing no clothes
I can't believe that all the folks who complained that the US defense budget is greater than that of the next 8 countries combined (as President Obama stated in his 2016 State of the Union address) are now defending that defense budget. Now that the truth comes out that much of that money is a backup to European countries that can barely get a handful of aircraft aloft in a crisis, suddenly it's acceptable? How about some consistency and not just reflexive anti-Trump positions?
1
This is classic Trump: He pays no taxes and makes no financial contribution to our Nation but characterizes our closest allies as valuable only for their financial contribution. His failure to understand how vital as asset Europe is to the US, culturally and philosophically, is terrifying.
6
Watching the footage of the breakfast meeting, it looks like John Kelly is wishing he could make himself invisible. How embarrassed must he have felt?
8
Not embarrassed enough to actually remember that he serves the american people. Corrupt administration, up and down.
4
Our caustic, inappropriate leader making friends. His actions are so predictable that they are easily ignored as they should be. By giving Trump currency on his complaints invites more of them. Ignored, Trump loses his power.
2
It is a well known trump tactic to claim that others have his faults. It is also well known that he is a captive of Russian influence, Ergo to claim that Germany is a captive of Russia is classic trump.
4
Not to worry! Our ace diplomat is on the job in Europe at the NATO summit, boorishly insulting our allies. How is Germany anymore a captive of Russia's gas than Russia ix of Germany's money? The psychology of this insult is interesting in that some people think Trump is indebted to Russia in some way.
3
President Trump is correct. So what if he speaks bluntly? International diplomacy by cocktail party and polite conversation never accomplished anything. The plain and obvious fact is that European countries have prospered since WW II on America's dime: our defense spending, in particular. Without US backing, Europe would have been steamrolled by the USSR a long time ago. They pay a relative pittance for their own defense. Americans should be outraged to have spent so many billions of dollars to keep Europe "free" when they could easily have done so for themselves. I am very happy to see Mr. Trump addressing this long overdue problem and don't particularly care if any European "heads of state" are embarrassed by the situation. They should be deeply ashamed.
1
With thinking like that I'm assuming you're part of the build that wall crowd.
4
It seems you need enlightenment regarding this issue. You clearly need to read and comprehend the whole article (if your attention span is that long) and consider the reasons that NATO is important to the US at least, if not more, than the other members. A couple of the responders here have outlined those reasons very clearly.
3
The view from my seat looks like this: The next president has a lot of explaining/apologizing to do. We have "elected" the bat boy to run the big league team. I don't live in fear like his base, however with no more friends on earth, who will help out when we need it?
1
Trump's traitorous policy embrace of advocating hostilities and escalation toward Iran is the major factor that threatens to cut all Europe off from alternative petroleum and natural gas markets, by blocking the Gulf of Hormuz.
As usual, Trump accuses others of crimes that he is guilty of. Now, off to meet with his control Putin and his handlers Lavrov and Kislyak.
9
If I were Merkel or one of the other EU leaders I would forcefully remind trump of the many European soldiers who have died defending the US against the Taliban in Afghanistan who we held responsible for the attacks of September 11. I bet this guy doesn't even know that. Germany was NOT attacked yet their men died defending us.
11
What crime has the Queen committed to be forced to meet the King of Vulgarians? At the age of 92 you should be free to associate only with people you like, even if you are Queen of England. And I find it extremely hard to believe that the Queen is amused by President Trump's language, behavior, ideas, or constant ally-bashing.
13
Well, you have to understand Trump is all about projection his faults onto others: when he say Germany is captive to Russia, it's because he's captive to Russia.
When he implies that Germany would not come to a NATO ally's aid if Russia attacks, it's because Trump would not come to a NATO ally's aid if Russia attacked.
17
To our European friends and allies:
Its so embarrassing and shameful to the majority of us in the United States that a narcissistic pathologically lying corrupt real estate developer who is incapable of understanding diplomacy, is our representative. Please keep in mind that the congressional Republicans and the people that own them only care about their tax cuts, and the elimination of social benefits.
2
It seems to me Trump is intellectually, morally, spiritually, ethically bankrupt; a crypto-totalitarian plutocrat who loathes western style democracy and is envious of eastern style dictators [he wants his 'people' to 'sit up at attention' when he speaks, like North Koreans do with Kim Jong Un], and yet people seem surprised to hear him scold our traditional allies in anticipation of his summit with his Russian moral equivalent. The only thing left that surprises me about the POTUS is peoples feigned surprise at the things he says and does...or at least that's how it appears to me.
5
It will be foolish to rebuke Mr. Trump for the nonsenses he frequently utters. He is incapable of independent thought and is more than happy to parrot whatever his "advisors" whisper in his ear. So, criticism of what Mr. Trump is largely misplaced and should be levelled at his "advisors".
Mr. Trump's advisors are either extremely dumb, or have agendas that allow them to pretend to be so, when they advance the notion of Germany being a "captive" of Russia in its energy policy. They conveniently forget that Germany used to secure most of its energy needs from Middle East. But, after the US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the chaos that the US and its allies created in Syria, Libya, and the rest of Middle East, Germany had no choice but to look for a more stable, less risky, supplier of energy. And that was Russia, since UK North Sea oil field reserves were dwindling at the time.
After signing of Nuclear Agreement with Iran and removal of UN and US economic sanctions from that country, Germany was happy to have another supplier for its energy. But now, with the US reneging on its international commitment and reimposing sanctions on Iran, Russia has once again become the main energy supplier to the Europe. So, it is not Germany's energy policy that has made it a "captive customer" of Russia, but rather the stupid, short-term, policies of the US in Middle East.
4
As the NYT indicates, Angela Merkel is far less concerned about Mr. Trump's commentary than most NYT readers, it seems.
Could it be that she knows that Mr. Trump's grandstanding has less to do with Europe and NATO than it does with the former's obsessive needs (a) to show he is "in charge" by dominating others and (b) to capture international headlines of the media he detests by perpetuating his "outsider" and "bad boy" personae?
NATO will persevere and be strong long after Mr. Trump vacates the White House. The organization is complex, multifaceted, intensely bureaucratic; it would take a decade or more to make significant changes to it.
As for Mr. Trump, he is truly an adolescent, trying to make Germany look like it is in Russia's embrace at a time when he, Trump, is being depicted similarly. "Nah nah nah nah nah nah!"
8
O tempora o mores! Forty years ago "Yankee Go Home" was the cry of the rest of the world, now it is US itself telling itself to go home!
3
No words. He just leaves your mouth agape at his brashness.
What have we become?
3
Trump is actively betraying NATO and courting Putin, and if you can't understand the significance of those two actions, then you lack the intellect to participate in our democracy.
10
The notion that we're over there in Europe to protect the Europeans is ridiculous. We all know that the real reason we have bases over there is to support our foreign adventures in the Middle East and to give us a foothold to be within striking distance of Russia. We would have a much more difficult (and expensive) time prosecuting these wars if we didn't have air bases and military hospitals in Germany and Italy. We certainly get plenty out of the arrangement; and leaving NATO would certainly put our strategic plans at a huge disadvantage. But as usual, our president doesn't realize this, or doesn't know it, or chooses to ignore that, and lies through his teeth. Perhaps it's time for Europe to call Trump's bluff and kick us out of NATO. The "American Idiot"! I am mortified and so embarrassed for my country! It's hard to be a patriot today.
6
The ignorance of Trump and his sycophants is astonishing. They are completely clueless as to why NATO was set up and funded the way it is. If you want to know, study some history, starting with any period before WWII. If you can read - and comprehend the words - you will understand why the US is the guarantor of peace in Europe. And why Putin is so happy these days. And maybe, just maybe, why Trump is such a dangerous person.
4
Trump is King...of projection. From "the election is rigged if I lose" to Germany is "captive to Russia." Projection at its finest.
3
Trump embodies the worst qualities of Saddam Hussein or Muammar Gaddafi.
It's time for "regime change."
12
Thank you Mr. President for finally standing up for the American pubic. My taxes should not be spent to support NATO when the countries that are in a direct line of fire are not willing to defend themselves. Down with NATO.
Oh yes, Trump stands up for the pubic all right. Only he calls it something less scientific when he grabs for
Was that typo or a Freudian slip.
Now, back to NATO.
Trump is simply too ignorant to have a historical perspective on the need for and value of the NATO alliance to the US. Whining about money after he’s exploded the debt with his $1.5T tax cut for the rich is beyond absurd.
13
Douglas, there is also the cost to the US consumer and businesses from Trump's tariff war...escalating with China today.
2
Can you imagine what Trump supporters would be saying if Obama did this? They have no integrity or consistency, as long as a white, male, Republican bully wearing the mantle of false Christianity does it is is GREAT.
4
If Obama said what Trump said, Trump supporters would have all either be completely speechless, or wondered if Obama's body double had attended the meeting. BHO never did, and never will have the fortitude to address this directly. Lead from behind.....never works.
Typical Trump! Accuse someone of doing what you're already doing.
Anyone who doesn't trust Angela Merkel to stand up to Putin and, instead, believes Putin's Orange Poodle isn't just trusting a leaky boat, they are betting on a sinking one.
Trump has sold the US and the Western Alliance out to Putin 6 ways from Sunday, yet he has the chutzpah to accuse Merkel of doing exactly that.
Is Vladimir Putin the most dangerous man in the world, or is Donald Trump?
7
I'm glad that these NATO leaders see through Trump and his self-serving lies.
He is such a disgrace to the office of president.
3
Bonespur, Bankruptcy Boy complaining about others being deliquent (financially, morally, ethically, criminally, etc.) is like Satan complaining about sin.
5
I hope Doug Mills wins an award for this photo which nails trump as an arrogant old man asleep at the wheel with the rest of the world looking on in bewilderment, disgust, concern-- as most Americans see him as well.
3
what a disgrace this government is.
6
Why is the US bothering with NATO. The cold war is over and the EU can look after itself. There is no need for a permanent alliance. The US should wind down its military presence in Europe.
You forgot: in Europe and elsewhere.
I haven't yet read any of the details, but I'm tempted to put big money (no pun intended) on a scheme that Trump wants them to pay more to go into our own military budget, rendering it far beyond bloat. If by chance and the stopped clock is yet again correct twice a day, he want them to spend on their own military, then I'll be the first to pay for losing that bet.
2
According to defense news, military spending as percent of GDP was about 1.3% for Germany and about 1.1% for Canada as of 2017. France spends close to 2% of its GDP on defense, and the UK about 2.5%. Greece spends 2.7% of its GDP on defense (maybe, they can bring it down a bit considering their financial woes).
So, Trump is right to criticize Germany and Canada for not living up to their commitment of defense spending that is 2% of their GDP.
Also, it is true that Germany and other Scandinavian nations depend too much on natural gas from Russia. Given this reality and considering that USSR is no longer a reality, NATO does not make too much sense.
Merkel has been considerably weakened at home but it is unlikely any successor will commit to spending more than the current levels on defense.
It is time to end NATO as we know it.
3
In reverse order:
1. Russia is currently an expansionist kleptocracy, run by a KGB officer who jails and shoots reporters and dissenters, that has interfered in our elections and those of other states.
2. After prodding first by Dubya and then by Obama, NATO countries got well on track to makng their commitments to spending 2% of GDP on mi,itary spending by 2024. Last I checked, it's 2018.
3. Leaving aside how much OUR economy depends on Europe, I take it you've forgotten what happened the last time we did what Trump's doing. Here's a hint: it involved the Great Depression and the Second World War.
4. By the way, last I checked Trump's enterprises owed the Chinese $600 mil, D-bank another $600 mil, and then there's that recent $600 mil owed to Indonesia. Not to mention an $800 mil refi due the Kuwaitis.
Since we're concerned about who owes what.
3
At this point Europe might as well start a defense pack with Russia.
1
Trump is filling Putins wish list. Ripping NATO apart; attacking our allies; praising communists; destabilizing America.. What does Russia have on Trump? Loans; incriminating pics;taped conversations? Vote out GOP; or America will become a Russian state. Ray Sipe
8
Finally an American president willing to speak the truth. With $22T in debt and growing, the American taxpayer has been sucker punched by these EU free loaders. Past administrations lined their buddies pockets by by allowing special inside deals with EU companies at the subsidy of American taxpayers. Trump knew this and is beholden to no one, unlike what happened with HWB, BJC, W and BHO. Germany and France are certainly capable of paying, lets let them step up. In the meantime we will have more money to replace our broken infrastructure and make America great again! I love this Trump!
3
Another in a long line of comments that are completely uninformed.
The United States made a calculation after World War II: build an alliance through defense and trade that would ensure stability and peace. It was a wise investment, one that has prevented a major world war for over seven decades.
We are a superpower. Let's start acting like one. Of much that we have given, we have also taken. Let's not forget that as 5% of the world's population, we consume the majority of its resources and, in general, live lives that benefit from the wealth that our investment in NATO and other institutions has generated. As a superpower, let's acknowledge what we have gained, and accept the responsibility that our status requires.
Last, we have made several decisions that no one else has forced upon us, namely creating a tax system and spending priorities that have been completely skewed toward corporations and the top 1%, who, like yourself, bellyache at any discussion that suggests they should give up some of their gains for workers and the public good. We could have, like other EU nations, made choices to invest in education, infrastructure, health care, and job training, job advancement----but we squandered it on huge defense budgets and wasteful tax breaks for those that have never needed them, all in the name of voodoo economics.
We could cut our defense spending by 2/3 and remain the most lethal military force on the planet. That money could be used for so many other things.
7
What you say is nonsense. We owe these EU nations nothing. Our men and women sacrificed 2 world wars to help them settle their rivalries. It’s socialist thinking like yours that always thinks the US is the bad guy like Obama running around and apologizing to the world. All your liberal policies have done nothing but bankrupt this great country always thinking that if you take a little more from the more productive people everything will be better. It has not worked before and it won’t work now. We’ve had it with your stinkin thinking and political correctness. The time has come to throw all of you old thinking on the trash heap of history and focus on making America great once again! And that’s exactly what we are going to do. Winning!
About what Trump said yesterday, just a brief insight into how is it like to enter America legally https://larissavelosocommunications.wordpress.com/2018/07/11/come-legall...
Un pagliaccio on the world stage.
4
Angela Merkel should throw a load of starbursts at Trump while saying 'don't say I don't give you anything '
4
Donald Trump is a cosmic disgrace— national disgrace doesn't cut it anymore.
10
There Trump goes again:
He is trying to bully and upset Merkel, who grew up in E. Germany before the Berlin Wall came down.
Stupidity, claiming Germany is a captive to Russia regarding anything.
That comment will not make the Germans give him a spec of credibility.
2
Donald Trump is painfully, obviously, blatantly a traitor.
The refusal of his voters to see and acknowledge this will forever mark them as complicit.
18
Juvenile delinquent Trump calling others delinquents?
2
I am both shocked and concerned that so many of the NY Times picked comments echo Trump's criticism of NATO, both whole and in part. NATO soldiers have fought and died beside their American allies in war after war, Germans most of all but all the other nations also. Do these fools prefer dictatorship to freedom? I guess they do!!!
5
The Grifter-in-chief showing his true colors, lack of knowledge, and boorish behavior to the world. Just be thankful he's hasn't poisoned your countries like he has ours. The vast majority in the US would hope that Trumpollini just stays in Russia. He and Putin could share lies together. Sickening.
13
I cut my cable about 3 years ago because I was not appreciating TV. Unfortunately that does spare me from trump's ignorant braying...on the radio news. It is so infuriating him going on in such an ignorant manner. I sure feel sorry for the NATO leaders. At the least they probably feel like walking out like the way he treated them at the G7 meeting. They most likely feel like giving him a pug in the lug...to use a UKism
2
So, Trumpie, how can America be together when it buys its goods from China? Trump and his heartland trumpkins are an uneducated mob. Through Trump, Putin gets control of our heartland and the Electoral College. It's a brilliant strategy. God save our nation from them.
10
On February 15, 2017, the Economist reported that the US contributed well over 5% of its GDP to NATO in 2009, since then the contribution has declined to 3.5% where it leveled off since 2015. The only other NATO nations that spent over 2% are Greece and Britain. Poland exceeded the 2% barrier in mid-2014, spending more than 2% in 2015, exceeding Britain’s contribution that year, but has since returned to 2%. Germany, the economic powerhouse of the EU, has spent a little more than 1% since 2006, not even 1.5%. Germany seems to be the problem. These numbers are based on NATO sources. Thank you.
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/02/16/military-spending-by...
3
What you fail to recognize. Mr. Gump, is that the U.S. has wanted, since WWII, to be the big boy on the scene. Which is why these other countries fall in line and allow us to have military bases on their soil and call the shots most of the time. If you wish to have the U.S. play a lesser role in the world order you will have to get used to being told what to do and when to do it.
4
May one ask why you cited an article describing military spending in 2015--not now, and not NATO contributions, military spending--and glossed over the article's insistence that a) European military spending has increased since then, and b) Trump's far from the first President to notice the problem?
1
US "military spending" is not the same thing as US "NATO spending"....you want to blow up Iraq and the Middle East then pay for it yourself...which you have, that's why your defence budget is nearly $800 billion and your debt is trillions more than it should be.
NATO's operation budget is set and yes, the US pays a larger share (about 22% of total NATO because it's based on GDP. Every NATO member is in good standing with its share of the NATO operation budget.
https://www.politico.eu/article/primer-for-president-trump-how-nato-fund...
1
No one is forcing America to spend so much on it's military. This is the choice of your government to spend excessive amounts on military hardware. It also has to be said that American troops stationed abroad are there at the insistence of the US. The truth is most ordinary citizens of Europe do not want American troops stationed here and would be happy to see them go.
25
Then Europe should eject the US from NATO and expel the US from their countries just as France did under De Gaulle. Stand up for yourselves.
I see the Putin posters from St. Petersburg are in overdrive here just as they are this morning at Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, Le Figaro, El País, and The Guardian. (The curse of having been a foreign-language major.) First of all, NATO is needed more than ever. It will endure, and with more member states in coming years (and not one current member will leave). Even Sweden, a non-member, is boosting its forces and military readiness. It is bringing back conscription for young people. One reason: Russia. Second: Trump does bring up an uncomfortable truth: many European members don't contribute their share to the Alliance when one considers their wealth and prosperity in the 21st century. The US cannot finance other affluent members will all the needs we have at home. Unfortunately, that means Canada as well.
3
The only delinquent in Brussels is our President, delinquent because he falsely claimed the Europeans "owe us", which smells like a Trump effort to rob money from the Europeans. All NATO nations ought to hit two percent defense spending target FOR THEMSELVES because the Russian Bear has returned.
Though it's a bit crass, the President has a point about Russia's new gas pipeline but he would get more flies with honey. Shameless is as Shameless does.
3
We need to stop entertaining intellectual curiosity articles about him and hold him to account for doing everything from obstructing investigations to enriching himself by refusing to divest interests. The GOP dominated congress will obviously not do anything which makes them culpable. The people themselves need to rise up vigorously to oppose this evil clown and the GOP which through blatant gerrymandering and tampering with voting rights and mechanisms to colluding with Russian meddling have become quite adept at stealing elections.
7
The captive of Putin blames Germany being a captive of Russia?
And concerning `allies´, I read European papers as well and I can assure you that the US has no longer allies in Europe. The US is by now seen as a far greater threat to them than Russia.
9
I will give Trump this much: If there was ever an expert on being delinquent or defaulting, he’s it.
13
Another superlative that Trump can claim--the biggest fraud ever!
2
Maybe it's time for the EU or NATO to answer in like form. Declare the WH occupant insulting, not tolerable and persona non-grata in their area until he can learn something about alliances.
8
Gee! What a diplomat. Congress, do your job.
3
Anecdote coming up. I think Mr. Trump should read it.
My sister once worked for a now defunct magazine. Nice people. Most of them.
The PUBLISHER? Not so nice.
This gentleman was a prototype of our President. All the games he played were zero-sum games. There are WINNERS. There are LOSERS. He proposed to be a WINNER. Not a LOSER.
So Mr. Blank began throwing his weight around. He noticed that, for yeas and years, one of his major advertisers was some kind of farming organization. (Don't ask me who.)
Hey! he thought. These guys--they should be paying MORE. MUCH more! He picked up the phone.
As rudely, as peremptorily as he could--he told them: from now on, you guys'll be paying DOUBLE what you're paying right now. End of discussion. Good-bye! He slammed down the phone. A good day's work.
Or maybe not.
They took offense. They called him back. Or maybe they wrote him a letter.
Cancelling ALL their advertising with that magazine.
THAT--would have sunk the magazine. It almost did.
Mr. Blank--our Donald J. Trump prototype--found himself obliged to seek out his OWN boss. And crawl. Grovel. Inform him, there'd been a slight contretemps, a little difficulty--and would he please?. ...
. .Fences were mended. The advertising account came back. Under the OLD terms.
ARROGANCE, Mr. President. Brash, foolhardy ARROGANCE. . .
. .. it never pays. Never! Not in the long run.
You listening, sir?
No. I didn't think so.
9
For heavens sake, we MUST get this oaf out of office immediately! He is destroying our alliances left and right.
9
70 year GOP revered Western alliance under attack. GOP celebrated 150 year US world leadership role erased. GOP worshiped free trade agenda ridiculed. GOP fiscal responsibility gospel strangled. GOP defense of working Americans banished to history books. GOP foundational embrace of Christian values shredded. GOP response, silence.
6
Dear NATO allies:
Hang in there. This guy isn't going to be the president forever. He could very well be history in the next 18 months. Trump is not us. He is something else.
Don't for a second think ordinary Americans are the fools this man Trump is. The next time you see an American tourist, ask him or her what they think about our mutual friendship and the importance of NATO. You will get an answer far more intelligent than this president is.
When we finally rid ourselves of this accident of political history, our alliance will be stronger than ever. Do not give up on us. I certainly haven't.
16
trump does represent about 40% of this country, a gangrenous, awful 40%
NATO should simply suspend these sorts of meetings for the duration of the Trump Presidency.
The Foreign Secretaries can meet to conduct the business of the alliance. The Generals can meet. But, the leaders? No.
Trump wants a stage. Don't give it to him.
9
If he wants to talk about military spending, perhaps Trump should take this opportunity to thank the French for sending Lafayette and thousands of troops to help the US during the Revolutionary War, without whom victory wouldn't have been possible and US independence wouldn't have happened until much later. Nothing can repay that debt, not even America's helping to liberate France in 1944.
10
Liberate a large chunk of France in 1918, and in 1944-45, and helped defend France during the Cold War. Still why does NATO even exist, a quarter century after the dissolution of the USSR?
All I know is, I hope Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his staff are working overtime because this person who somehow slithered into the White House, despite losing by nearly 3 million votes, is acting like he has a mandate from God, or more clearly Putin, to disrupt every aspect of the United States' domestic and foreign policies.
His domestic moves are the massive tax cuts for billionaires, which will cost us for decades to come; cramming far right judges who value corporations over people and religious dogma over civil onto the courts; slashing regulations to protect Americans; imposing tariffs, which are going to damage countless US industries; draconinan attacks on immigrants; and fomenting racist, misogynistic turmoil, as if he's the leader of a white nationalist movement instead of the president of all Americans.
Internationally he seems to be trying to upend decades of work by prior admninistrations, endangering not just our allies (Europe, South Korea, Japan, even Israel) but the US itself! This man even had to be talked down from invading Venezuela, which would have been yet another disaster, not unlike George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq, that the US was neither prepared for nor could afford. (Remember those tax cuts for billionaires and corporations). Something we're only glimpsing now was underway in 2015 and 2016, and we can only hope that Mr. Mueller gets to the bottom of it before it's too late for all of us!
32
Oh yes. The US spends approximately $1.1 Trillion per year on the military (not defense, we're always on the offense). That is more that the next SEVEN highest military spending countries in the world combined!
We're no. 1, but out infrastructure is outdated, decrepit and crumbling!
17
Then the US should exit NATO and leat Western Europe fend for itself.
Perhaps the Europeans have got it right. Perhaps we, too, should be spending more on the welfare of our citizens than we do on yet more heavy weapons of potentially limited use in a world where the dangers are cyber and politico-terrorist. But then where would the defense industries be? Trump shows where pressure on him is coming from when he links European foot-dragging in arms expenditure and the alleged failure of our Nato allies to spend more on defense. Where does the 2% of the GDP end up? That's right.
1
Okay, lemme get this straight. Germany is captive to Russia, but Mr. Trump isn't?
There he goes projecting again!
38
Spot-on. As a psychologist, I continue to be appalled by how he blatantly projects. It is also another one of his con games to distract and misdirect. The only thing good about it is how it exposes his own motives and moves--at least to perceptive people. The evil intent here is to get people who surrender thinking for themselves (the ignorant Trump voters, not the rich ones) to look the other way and leave him to manage his schemes not only without interference but with support! You can fool some of the people all of the time--just enough in some Electoral College territories. I hope to live for the day when it shows that he cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
1
Countries are not required by treaty to pay 2% of GDP on defense - it was last a pledge in 2014 to try to reach that goal in 2024. Many countries have not considered Russia to be the biggest threat to security and many of those threats are not a military function, so spending on defense is not a top priority for those who spend below that (about 24 countries do not - and will not). So the President can put all types of pressure on the governments to spend more, but they have other security and budget priorities. That the US spends 3.5% of GDP for defense is because we are the singular global power and our money, leadership and capabilities buttress the international institutions the US established after WWII. Now it is obvious the president does not care for this "deal" and wants to renegotiate. The problem is you cannot put a price tag on leadership.
7
I can put a price tag on Trump's leadership. It's worthless.
5
Ah, so Putin's sock puppet Trump the terrible is lecturing others about being captive to Russia. "Captive to Russia" says the world leader in hock to the mafia running the Russian government, now there's irony for you.
47
And the former Bundeskanzler of Germany is the president of GAZPROM, a sweetheart deal with his best buddy Putin. He got Germany addicted to Russian gas and make millions doing it. He lives in Russia sharing birthdays and holidays with Putin and is filthy rich and on his fourth wife. And you whine about Trump's conflict of interest and Russian meddling--which is, up to now, pure fantasy being worked by desperate democrats still angry that the American people showed them (and Hilliary) what losers they really are.
As an American patriot, I cannot describe how much I detest the man.
53
It is becoming more apparent that Putin and Russia have a lock on trump, what is he hiding.
34
Steve from Seattle, no matter what he is hiding, nothing will undermine the support of his lemming fan base and his fellow racist, sexist haters. I have a much simplier and I believe more probable theory than blackmail. A billion or two in Trump's debt-filled pockets would be a chump change to Putin for Trump's eager acquiescence to his interests. Nothing more is required to attract a narcissistic sociopath's wet kiss. One should not think too deeply about the motivations of a shallow, selfish man.
1
My money is still on that p. p. tape...
2
From a man who went bankrupt 6 times. And stiffs his vendors, including his driver of 25 years.
LOL.
58
This president is (once again) an embarrassment to all Americans and to the civilized world.
50
The American voter brought this upon themselves. All Americans own this. Therefore, it goes deeper than Trump. The American people can no longer be trusted.
2
From a practical point of view it's much more efficient for Germany to buy Russian gas that is piped in than US liquid natural gas that is shipped over. On the other hand Russia has a history of shutting down its pipeline when it gets angry with the customer. Who wants to be held hostage by Putin & Co.?
If I was Germany, I'd do what France does, go nuclear. France gets 80% of its energy from nuclear plants.
Supplement that with solar, wind and water-generated electricity. There's no reason why every roof is not covered in solar panels.
12
They are already getting something like 20% of their electricity from renewables, on average.
4
You really know NOTHING about the situation in Germany. Germany shut down ALL its nuclear power stations immediately after the Fukiyama meltdown. And vowed to stop burning coal by 2024. It will not happen. And Germany did (and does) provide genourous subsidies to get people to convert to solar. And Bavarian roofs are covered with solar panels. But a strange thing happened. China came into the market with its subsidized panels and put the three German panel makers out of business. That is the free and fair trade that all of these liberals gloat about. It doesn't exist. You need to get out a bit more before making your recommendatins, Einsten.
3
Of you had the faintest idea of international politics you would know that
a) Germany already has close to maxed out harvesting wind and solar (in 80% cloudy weather). I fact last week for the first time ever, renewables were producing more energy than Germany's No1 energy source, which is coal. Due to the renewables subsidy a kWh for the end consumer is almost 4 times as expensive as in the US. Thank God they don't need A/C on German homes, and have well insulated houses.
b) Germany's North Stream pipeline was planned exactly to avoid unreliable supply. Russia has been shutting down gas that runs through Ukrainian territory due to local conflict and disagreements on flow-through tariffs. North Stream will allow Russian gas to flow directly to Germany. Of course other countries dislike the idea since they will no longer make money on their flow-through tariffs.
c) Trump dislikes North Stream because he would like to sell the Europeans liquefied US gas. But as fickle as he is behaving, having a gas deal with the US would be more insecure that a gas deal with the USSR of Putin. Trump might just cut Europe off anytime by Twitter notice.
d) Germany decided against nuclear since they have no reliable way to store their nuclear waste for millennia to come. (Neither do the other countries, btw)
3
Let's see. It's been 73 years since the end of the last world war. Too much peace and prosperity is boring. Trump wants to be a "war president." He's not getting any younger. Has to work fast to disrupt stable defense alliances, trade relations and balance of power. Hopefully, our NATO allies will ignore his bluster and chuckle behind his back at his puffed-up strutting. "Oh, that's just little Donald doing his imitation of a superpower president. Cute, isn't it?"
21
He's right you know!
4
NATO provides a number of things that are important to its North American partners:
- protection for small countries that are often the first (but not the last) swallowed up in a pan-european conflict.
- security for the North Atlantic from both sides, a crucial link in any major conflict
- staging area for troops and supplies for participation in conflicts elsewhere, so we are not fighting wars on North American soil.
13
Trump wants Germany to buy it’s gas from the U.S. His assertion that the Europeans are freeloading is a lot of malarkey. They give us bases and contribute to their support. This provides us with a tremendous strategic advantage. The 2% defense spending on their own military is more symbolic than anything else. So what is Trump up to?
Trump is doing his best to play the alpha type who gets the pick of the mates and of the game from the hunt. Whether he’s actually playing some clever game or just creating crises for some unexplained reason, it’s not clear.
19
Mr. Trump again, again, does Mr. Putin's bidding at NATO. He is following Mr. Putin's desired agenda perfectly. Mr. Putin cannot be happier with the progress Mr. Trump is making on Russia's behalf. A beleaguered NATO is what a very weak nation like Russia needs to expand with impunity. But Mr. Trump's supporters here do not understand that concept. They actually believe the U.S. would be better without NATO. It is short-sited and not backed in any historical facts which could possibly support the demise of NATO.
This is simply another example of the why Russia meddled in our 2016 elections and will again this year. Russia needs Mr. Trump on their side; not on the E.U.'s or on NATO's side. When will Mr. Trump's supporters, and more critically the GOP, decide to stand up for our allies and not our enemies?
18
"What’s behind Trump’s criticism of Germany?" It is that Angela Merkel has bested him time and again: she has great intelligence, leadership qualities, experience and knowledge of history and how the world works. Essentially she displays the very qualities that Trump completely lacks.
88
She "bested him?" How? Great intelligence? That's a joke, right? She's hanging on to her position in Germany by a thread, detested by the vast majority of citizens who loathe her ridiculous immigration policies.
1
And that she is a woman.
3
Spot on. How typically clueless and brazen of this history-ignorant president to lecture an East German about Russia. What nerve, considering his own business failures, and groveling to Putin. Plus, of course, he is reluctant to acknowledge that capable and intelligent women, like Merkel and May, regardless of their policies, are major world leaders. And that he has to recognize them as such. The end to this national and international embarrassment of an administration cannot come soon enough.
3
The net effect of Trump's in your face approach to NATO will be to weaken the Organization, embolden Putin and increase the chances that democratic governments in Europe will fall or be undermined.
Trump is a one man wrecking ball with no idea how to rebuild the rubble he will create. He is the most dangerous President we have ever had. And there is no telling how much more damage to the US he can do. I fear we've just seen the beginning of the consequences of his actions.
Congress must stop him now!
13
The 2% spend level actually goes back to 2006. When that target was not tracking, the calendar was kicked down the road from 2014.
Obama raised the issue "quietly", but not substantive progress (Germany at 1.29%, Italy similar).
Agree that Trump's approach is unappealing, but the soft glove has been tried and failed.
2
A bit off topic perhaps, but those who are publicly shaming and heckling people in the Trump administration realized the soft glove approach didn't work with this administration either. Hope you are as OK with that behavior as you are with Trump at the NATO summit. And who needs $80 worth of sushi anyhow? .
For those who actually want to know just how much Germany relies on Russian fossil fuels, I suggest you take a look at this factsheet: https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-dependence-imported-...
2
Wouldn`t it be more fair to say that the US and especially Trump is a captive of Saudi Arabia?
2
The utter shame of being forced to watch while the NATO Secretary General explains to our demented President exactly what NATO really is and what purpose it serves, while he fidgets and looks away and tries to deflect and engages in one Big Lie after another.
He simply appeals to a demented, angry base, over and over again, desperate to deflect attention from Mueller's investigation.
31
You are too optimistic about the 2% target. As long as Trudeau and his gang are in power Canada will never spend that much on defence, either in 2024 or any other year.
2
We have word today that Trdeau is cutting Canada's defense budget from 1.36% to 1.22%. So much for their promise.
Do your homework: the Harper Government gutted defence spending and then didn't even spend the money it reluctantly budgeted for defence, returning to Treasury some $10 billion between 2009-2014.
Your source for that is....?
In substance I don't disagree with Trump's issues with NATO. But his style is so abrasive and obnoxious, it undermines his complaints.
9
Exactly.