Trump is incapable of managing the Presidency. He is (seems to me) unwilling to represent the USA over his own interests. He has the power to disable our security, one facet is our alliances, which he targets with his petty sniping. If that is not a high crime or misdemeanor, then what is? He has demonstrably proven he is unfit. I don't understand people who think we should not impeach Donald Trump. Dereliction of duty is a valid reason. Trump has not and does not meet the duties the Presidency requires. Impeach Trump.
11
It's nice to know that there are patriots in the WH who are working for the good of the country in spite of the president. But is it wise to expose these people to his ire?
7
No question. The US is preparing to lead a NATO attack on Russia. Once again, Americans think the carnage will all be in Europe. Maybe; maybe not. It will, of course, be "defensive" in response to an "attack" in the Baltics, or Poland. That has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it.
1
Good cop, bad cop. Trump uses this time and time again. It's predictable, transparent, cliche and successful.
2
Can't imagine why. We can thank all of the Republican congressional politicians for allowing our nation to be held hostage by a person who clearly needs psychiatric care. Rise up my friends and VOTE on November 6th to save our nation so we can put an end to this insanity. GOD almighty, we have learned our lesson. And, Nancy Pelosi must go as well. The Democrats need leadership with excitement and vigor going into 2020. No more dinosaurs.
13
It should be fairly clear. If the president is not capable of doing his job, protecting the American people and our allies, the cabinet must use the 25th Amendment to remove him. Seeking to undermine his actions, whether we agree with those actions or not, is misfeasance.
We didn't elect John Bolton (we didn't elect DT either, but that's a separate question). These people are undermining our entire system of government.
8
I grew up during the Cold War and know how important NATO is to the security of all Western nations. I am glad we have a shadow government that looks after our foreign policy, although I admit it is scary. I want our government back!
8
If Bolton has become the steady hand of this administration, then the Overton window has left the building.
6
@Neighborm
You couldn't be more correct!
“And, most important, allies pledged to build up their militaries. . .”
1
I hope they also hide his big powerful nuclear button from him or at least disconnect it.
8
I have never had much respect for Bolton but I am delighted to see this happen. Any loss for Trump is a win for the rest of the civilized world.
7
Mark my words, when the smarter ones of us look back on these years, the Trump years, we will say:
« they were the best of times, they were the worst of times ».
How could they ever be « the best of times » ? Well, a million ways. To be alive and in good health, it is always « the best of times ».
Even more so in the fall, when the cool air arrives, and the leaves in Central Park turn red, and elsewhere too.
But it was also a time when things were clearly delineated. There was « most of us », and then there were the Trump supporters, even as late as August of 2018.
It was so evident, back then, in August 2018, who everyone was.
7
Sounds like an extremely effective use of good-cop/bad-cop to get what we wanted - and would not have received under any other strategy.
2
Complete fabrication of how it went down. He is screaming for more military cooperation and Bolton get's that and other parts done and slips the President an outline that states none of the accomplishments? Just unbelievable that this would ever happen.
It was successful or 'meaty' because Trump screamed about military cooperation and because he pulled out of the Paris accord and others knew he would do it. Maybe I have blinders on but this president is getting more done that any other in my lifetime. Maybe history will give him the credit he deserves.
1
Yes, you have blinders on.
7
I frequently ask his supporters but never get an answer. List his accomplishments. Not much. Nothing that helps you or this country. Observe what happens around you.
Common sense, sir. The mainstream papers, which he says are fake news, report the truth.
If they did not report the truth , he would specifically call them out. He can’t. How do you recognize lies? Use those same skills
6
@fz1 - Well if you count destroying health care, education, the environment, our relationship with our allies etc. as getting things done then yes he's done quite a bit.
You're in for a rude awakening when you take off those blinders and get a look at the damage.
7
Who would have thought that with Trump as POTUS John Bolton and Mike Pompeo would become the adults controlling foreign policy. Despite their prior reputations they are probably responsible for keeping us out of worse disasters that might be caused by having an unintelligent, egocentric, erratic, adolescent 'very stable genius' as POTUS. Hopefully our military leaders have already also taken away Trump's direct access to nuclear weapons.
5
Reading this article, it seemed like everyone is talking behind the presidents back. I guess It's a good thing he doesn't read...
8
In all seriousness, this Is no way to run the government. It is apparent Trump officials know how incompetent and dangerous he is. At some point, they will miss the net, this is playing with fire.
9
oh...oh...what's DJT going to do when he finds our? Rage-tweet? Or...say it was all his idea?
5
When a president is so dangerous the rest of government have to act secretly against his destructive desires -- it is time to call to remove him as unfit.
Nobody voted for the people behind the scenes, the powers behind the throne.
Or, any who did vote for trump thinking "Let him act as figurehead and hope his appointees and the military don't let him do as he says he wants to" are people who put this nation at risk for the entertainment value and feeling of self-righteousness trump gave them.
Unfit.
Remove.
There is a fully Constitutional provision for this.
Those behind the scenes taking advantage of his insanity to jockey for the leading veiled position are traitors as well to the oath the took to preserve, defend and protect the Constitution, because this is not how the Constitution says a governement by representation and checks and balances should work.
Unfit. Remove.
Unfit. Remove.
Unfit. Remove.
Unfit. Remove.
Unfit. Remove.
Unfit. Remove.
Or suppose somehow that elections will save us, or Saint Mueller, or place faith in people late on the scene, that nobody voted for, to assume the powers of the office of president that trump has so befouled.
9
This is what a failed presidency looks like.
23
For the relatively small number of rational people still withholding judgment on how bad trump really is and whether or not he needs to go, this ought place them in the dump trump column.
Not that the vast majority of US need more proof on the extent that republicans and trump are ruining U.S. standing around the world. Trump is a great media manipulator and shameless LIAR and that sums up his "skill set".
I don't know what more it will take to motivate an enormous voter turnout for democrats so that we can start rebuilding the damage wrought by the Republican Party and their "peerless leader".
The Green Party and other third party groups/candidates need to face reality and recognize that in our system (flawed as it is) their supporters siphon votes from democrats and HELP republicans retain power. The outcome of republicans remaining in Office utterly negates everything the Green's stand for.
Why do we allow the same mistakes to happen again and again.
Jill Stein and Russia are two big reasons trump is in Office. Gore was undermined terribly by Nader (who helped Bush to his two terms). The slim margin in the recent Ohio election really proves the point that Green Party siphoning votes from a democrat helps republicans.
Wake up! If you really want positive change we must have democrats in control of government. Then Greens and others can work further toward getting their goals achieved. Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all. Get it?
13
Is Mr. Trump’s overenthusiasm to please Putin the real reason for his antipathy toward NATO? The contrast between the ways in which he conducted himself at the NATO meet in Brussels and at his Helsinki meet with Putin, which followed it, makes this question moot. At the former, he was behaving like a bull in a china shop and, at the latter, like Putin’s poodle.
Trump doesn’t seem to understand that preserving this military alliance is in the national security interest of the U.S. more than that of the 28 other members. Has he forgotten the heartwarming way they volunteered their help, in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks? Troops from NATO nations fought alongside those of the U.S. even in Iraq. In Afghanistan, the threat from which was and still is real, they have been fighting side-by-side with U.S. troops. And many of them are getting killed, too.
The main threat that the NATO alliance is always readying itself to meet is the one that could emanate from Russia. As such, the Russian president’s antagonism toward it and efforts to destroy it are understandable. It is mind-boggling, though, the president of the country which is the main architect of that alliance is acting as an enabler of its destruction.
The only consolation is that at least three top advisers of Trump realized the importance of preserving international alliances beyond the tenure of any president. Thanks to the behind-the-scenes work done by them, we have the NATO alliance still intact.
4
I wish that the good results of the pre meeting could be chalked up to the smarts of Trump's tactics. Too much to expect but undermining Putin's plot is some compensation for the wild swings of our president.
1
I'm expecting the next headline to read: "National security officials build sandbox in Oval Office for president to play in while they conduct foreign policy--Rubber duckies a contingency plan for the future."
8
@Allen Drachir - Brilliant
It is good that the EU is arming up. They may yet need to save the world from Russian-American imperialistic oligarchies.
7
I can't believe I'm thanking John Bolton from stopping our Fascist wannabe dictator from destroying NATO.
17
Although we have a president who is doing a lot of damage, we are truly leaderless.
6
No presidential tweets, yet. It's a sea-change if there are none, what will that mean?
3
@angel98
It means his aides are cowering in a corner, each insisting it's above their pay grade to read this article to him.
3
I wish there were more people saving us from Trump.
7
@V Me, too. Alas, Congressional Republicans have betrayed their oath to uphold the US Constitution and to provide check and balance on a man who is manifestly unqualified for office. This will be their legacy. I hope to see every single one of them permanently removed from office. When the history is written on this dark period they will be named and will live on in ignominy.
8
Why is this “man” still president?
10
Let us never forget that our government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of our country. -FDR #32
7
Foe and friend, or saving what face is left in the international community with a trade-off between Trump and advisors. Trump gets to insult and denigrate everyone for a TV spectacle back home knowing that terms for NATO have already been agreed. Only thing is, I cannot believe Trump would take a hit to his ego like this - ah! I know he'll call it fake news and his fans will applaud.
Cliffhanger: Will Bolton, Mattis and Pompeo be fired or will they be embraced even more tightly into the fold? What will the press secretary say, stay tuned for a major clue ...
3
What a sad state of affairs. John "buzzsaw" Bolton working behind the fake president's back to make sure that Putin's little poodle wouldn't try to torpedo yet another important agreement to ensure global security.
Please, please, lets get Congress back to a Democratic majority so that this madness can end.
13
I’m not sure what I should be more fearful of – key government figures such as John R. Bolton, National Security Adviser, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis working in secret without the President’s knowledge and behind the scenes in order to avoid another confrontation similar to the G-7 or a President like Trump who is out of control, out of touch, and simply just plain naïve when it comes to our allies and maintaining, if not restoring a productive, workable relationship.
I’m grateful to these men and their collective actions of avoiding another heated and destructive confrontation, but my gosh, what does this really say about this presidency?
A sincere thanks to the NYT for keeping us readers in the loop.
126
@Marge Keller
Yes, but the NYT is NOT telling us that the whole Russia thing is false from start to finish to support extremely aggressive, dangerous, and irresponsible provocations all along Russia's western frontier.
Wow, two things I never dreamed I'd say:
First, our POTUS does not act with our national interests in mind.
Second, good job John Bolten.
9
In the words of Trump, Jr., I love it. Trump's people should start doing this more often. The finished agreement was too long for Trump to read anyway so he probably will never know what's in it.
7
A president whose own cabinet openly works against his nonsense. What could possibly go wrong? #GoodbyeGOP
8
If Obama had been THIS dangerous, y'all would've thunk up something by now...
6
It is somewhat misleading to report that top advisers work behind the scene to protect international institution from the fury of President Trump. It is common practice of US diplomates for years to argue that a particular policy or position paper is their maximum negotiation position because the unpredictable guy in the White House might kill the negotiation altogether. This is a very risky strategy. More than once US delegations found themselves totally isolated and could not accept compromise solutions without having friendly nations to undertake diplomatic demarches in Washington DC. The unusual resolution by the US Congress supporting NATO seem to suggest that the story behind the NATO declaration is more complex.
So, there it is: The Minions of the White House sneaking stuff right past President Bonespurs so he can't get his grubby hands on it.
Is that "treason"?
Or are they just being "Mommy's little Helpers"?
You're scrapping the bottom of the barrel, here, Republicans.
Time to take out the trash.
12
On a plane returning from San Diego last month, I had the opportunity to watch the movie "The Death of Stalin". What made the movie hilarious and at the same time, disturbing, was the lengths Stalin's underlings went through to keep him happy and themselves alive.
The daily lists of people to torture and execute; forcing an orchestra and its audience to redo a performance Stalin had just listened to on the radio, so that they could make a recording for him; guards allowing Stalin, having suffered a stroke, to lay on the floor overnight because they were afraid to check on him.
Can someone get me a Coke please? No? COVFEFE!
2
Why are you telling him? Now he can try and screw this one up.
5
I am so anti-Trump there are hardly words to describe my feelings, but I agree that having the Security Chiefs be able to do a go around to get much needed policy passed is, indeed a dangerous precedent in our country's mode of governing. I wholeheartedly agree with the preservation of our agreement with NATO but worry that it has become easy to make our president a paper tiger or merely a stand up comedian, while those unelected department heads make treaties and laws while he cavorts about. I am worried about our country while this maniacal man dismantles everything we stand for and all that has made our country great.
4
45 is a threat to the entire world and a menace to civil society.....and everyone knows it by now.
The Founders were good but, they weren't perfect and they did not draft the right mechanism for THIS national/global state of emergency.
18
Trumps actions and comments on just about everything are born out of his ignorance on just about everything.
10
Trump says a lot of things. I never care. I only care what he does - not says. He seems very ignorant but, in fairness, I remember when the ACA came out and Pres. Obama couldn't keep it straight with the WH whether it was a tax or not. I do think he probably was more in sync with his staff, and Trump seems especially out of touch.
That being said - I remember Jens Stoltenberg - same guy - agreeing with Trump publicly and thanking him for his leadership. Are we to assume that he is a liar? Trump was right, btw, that the press would not "print" what Stoltenberg said. If any did, it wasn't much.
Also, who knows what Bolton and Trump, Pompeo and Trump, say together or plan? I don't know either, but I wouldn't be so sure that they didn't plan it.
3
That John Bolton, the same man who while serving under GW Bush, routinely displayed only disdain for the United Nations, is now 'saving NATO' from Trump, demonstrates that our country remain in free-fall due to wretched leadership from Trump-Pence-GOP.
16
Based on the previous comments of Trump concerning NYT, this too would be seen by him as "Fake news". Thus Boltons job may still be secure.
5
Seems like the National Security apparatus around the President don't want to behave like a Russian asset. Good for them at least.
4
Saving Trump from himself is what it has come to for all of us. We walk on egg shells wondering what he's going to blow up next. He seems to be channeling, badly, Vito Corleone from the Godfather movie. He is right about everyone paying their dues, but forgets the Vince Lombardi maxim that says: criticize in private, praise in public. He speaks before his brain is engaged.
5
There is a simple way to fool Trump. Just write everything down and make sure the substance is on the second page. He'll never find it.
12
Amazing how everyone works around this guy except to flatter him and feed him simple information when they need him.
I miss hearing how Clinton would read policy papers, far into the night, and call the authors with questions. I miss hearing how Obama would return to the Oval office after family dinner and read until midnight, plus.
Hillary did eleven hours being questioned by Congress, without a script or Rudy attempting to cloud the otherwise crystal clear waters......but #45 cannot take questions ?
We now have someone who thinks Fox is a legitimate news source and retweets their nonsense.
The only thing worse would be if #45 actually understood how things work in DC and played the game with skill, not a sledgehammer.
16
All this squirming by people who should just stand up to djt and tell him how it really is. So now he is left armed and dangerous. And we are still at his mercy.
7
This is how we will survive the tRump "presidency":by appointees, staff and other government officials making decisions and agreements behind his back, in secret, so he can't blow them up. Just leave him alone in a corner with his phone and let the government run itself.
2
While NATO could be a bulwark for peace, it has been used as a provocateur by pulling in countries all around Russia's borders and moving into Ukraine, Russia's buffer zone. Its role must be rethought. The MIC wants it for arms sales and keeping the world on military tiptoes. This move, fronted by Bolton, Pompeo and Mattis, is "same old" neocon thinking. Do not feel reassured.
1
So that's what our government has sunk to with Trump, we have to hide our negotiations from him and get them signed before he can sabotage them? Really sad.
5
Good work!
Now if they can protect America from Trump we would be in great shape.
5
This is really about alliances between two political systems, one autocratic and restrictive and the other democratic and inclusive. The problem is that we have a President that favors the former.
4
If our President is not humiliated, he certainly should be. I suppose this points precisely to the problem with this administration.
9
He is a narcissist and does not know shame.
4
@Nuffalready His rage will protect him from shame.
to tRUMP supporters: Has it sunk in yet that this buffoon is not intellectually QUALIFIED to do the job?
The fact that 40% of the country finds him acceptable is disgusting.
American exceptionalism indeed! We are collectively one of the most stupid countries in the world.
26
Trump's top officials are circling the wagons around an erratic unqualified president to both protect the country and to keep the president in place so that they can exert their own power to advance their own agendas. Not exactly the checks and balances our forefathers envisioned. What was it Nunes said? If we don't protect the president, "all this goes away." Bolton and Pompeo are one kind of "protector." But Stephen Miller is in that mix as well...
18
Careful. If the Twitter-in-Chief sees this, he'll surely wreck the next summit to draw attention back to himself.
14
So, we have a President that is out of control and his administration is undermining him. This is what counts as good news these days? How pathetic is that?
18
This President has been compromised. It is as simple as that, and has been since the late 80's when Russian organized crime used his Casinos and Hotels to laundry their money and he would get a percentage. That's what will eventually come out but apparently that is alright with most of the Republican party.
20
President One-Term is a real weakling. His staff controls him. It's a great reality show! Very entertaining. The news is fun to read. His ratings are great!
7
If someone cannot do the job to which they've been appointed, why prop them up? All that does is extend their tenure, and give them confidence which has not been earned.
3
As someone in this comment thread noted, Trump's behavior toward NATO *is* bizarre. If we just think about why NATO has been so important - keeping its members from going to war with one another in the wake of WWII, and presenting a credible deterrence to any challengers - it has been incredibly successful. I think there has been some overreach that has caused a reaction from Russia as NATO moved in closer to its borders, but - I never thought I'd say this - we're fortunate to have John Bolton in the administration at this moment. Hopefully all this will be an interlude and we can reestablish our alliances after this presidency. Sad!
Thankfully we have created the government in this way - that is, the executive branch has some brakes on it, including the federal bureaucracy - like the State Department, the National Security Council! Those are bureacracies - and they're *needed*! It gets so tiring to always see bureaucrats getting painted as impediments and necessarily problematic - along with politicians, lawyers, etc. Remember when politics was something we aspired to? The definition of working in the government is being a bureaucrat. Remember when the law was a noble profession? News flash - it still is, despite the bad actors we'd find in any field. Frustrating.
58
Barry--It'd be nice if the co-equal branch pf government, the United States Congress, would put some brakes on this perfidious yahoo, before he gets us all killed. But, no, they have cast their lot with the yahoo, thinking he will somehow save their cushy positions, where they don't have to do their jobs, daily, but continue to rake in the dough, for as long as the money machine keeping going. Save our country, and our critical alliances, by voting for Democrats, who value the "new world order," that has kept the peace for the past, almost, 70 years.
2
@ChesBay Agreed...it seems like so many of the Republicans are really going for it. They're destroying their party. I think we need to vote for Democrats, and be strategic about it, like CA did in the "jungle" primaries - i.e. people need to figure out ways to get Democrats in from all parts of the party, left and center, to avoid splitting the vote. Likewise, and probably just as importantly, we need to get with the moderate Republicans that remain and make common cause with them... all this partisanship is destroying the country. And we should remember - most of the country doesn't agree with this right-wing direction. (You'll never convince the Trump base - they feel their stubbornness is a virtue. It's a waste of time. They'll come back later...) We need to get to the polling stations, and help others do the same.
Sounds like using President Trump as the ogre effectively got the NATO negotiators to quickly agree to fund and carry out a very significant increase in force that substantially strengthened the defense organization in precisely the ways sought by the US defense establishment.
3
John Bolton acting in the best interests of our country and the world? Too good to be true. What other motivation might he have? He is a warmonger, after all. Supporting NATO is supporting war efforts rather than diplomacy I suspect his true purpose may be more nefarious than beneficent.
3
It truly is ironic to think that I'm grateful to Bolton for having taken steps to preserve the NATO agreement. Usually I regard the guy as a threat to world peace.
4
Clearly, what is happening concerning policy positions in the Oval Office are constant end-runs by Trump’s advisors so that “unpredictable antipathy “ by Trump doesn’t blow up international diplomacy and world order. That shouldn’t give anyone comfort, I only wish everyone understood that.
3
Trump, from the beginning, has not been capable intellectually, morally, and in terms of temperament, to fulfill the duties of the office of the presidency. His staff is frantically working around the unfit president who is incapable of absorbing issues and details and unwilling to behave in a responsible fashion. Trump is only getting worse as he grows frustrated by the criticism.
14
NYTimes makes it sound like Bolton was working against Trump but how does it know that they aren't working as a team? Good cop--bad cop oldest trick in the book. Get the other side to quickly sign on the dotted line before the Trump makes things even worse for the other guy.
3
Regardless of your stance of NATO, it is clear that even those who loyally serve him are apparently disturbed by his words, actions and tweet storms.
7
So, Bolton is now the rationale one. We've officially stepped into the other side of the looking glass...
13
He keeps blasting kneeling players because he's got nothing better to do. Plus he operates each day by rote, what's repeated over and over in his head is reality to him, all that matters to him is mouthing his mind, which, let's face it, is a leading indicator of the mental illness that is now common among a good percentage of americans. The congress is happy with his results so they're letting him get away with any violation of our laws and conduct. This is our country's lowest point in history, if only because our global influence is so great.
9
It's not surprising, the president is not absolute ruler of the US nor the world, despite this one's yearnings to be so.
btw: The silence about this in other news outlets and the lack of the usual rabid, rapid-fire tweet response is deafening.
5
Two thoughts. One, Trump, while clearly not intending to do so, has brought the Alliance together and made it more efficient. Unfortunately because of his erratic thrashing’s. Second, when the heck did Bolton become the adult in the room? I can’t believe I’m glad he was there. Up is down and down is up.
3
This news should send Alex Jones and Breitbart deep state theory into crisis mode. Somehow the sinister Left got to John Bolton and put him into deep state leadership.
7
He’s the TV president. The actual job is being accomplished behind the curtain. I’m not sure if this good feeling I have about this is warranted but I’ll take it.
4
While I'm somewhat reassured that Bolton and Pompeo saved NATO and the US from the malicious ignorance of Trump, it's even more terrifying what those three might do when aligned against Iran with the likes of Saudi Arabia and Israel's hard right government.
5
This is another one of your political editorials presented as "news"
"U.S. Officials Quietly Saved NATO Deal From Trump"
You're constantly trying make the President look inept, incompetent, and untrustworthy.
1
@Richard
Odd isn't it. Especially as Trump is doing a superb job of being inept, incompetent, and untrustworthy with no help from anyone.
23
A very interesting negotiating tactic indeed.
2
What a bunch of hogwash. I no more believe this then I believe the "trumped up" feud between the president and the Koch brothers. Just another trick to try to humanize a dictator.
2
All you liberals chided Bolton for being a Neo-Con War Monger .. This man is working hard behind the scenes to save NATO! He deserves to be commended!
2
Your statement makes no logical sense “How dare you accuse the guy trying to keep a military alliance together a war monger!”
1
@Aaron - This is quite funny considering that Trumpists like to parrot Trump's disdain for NATO.
1
That John Bolton, has to go behind Donald's back to basically keep the NATO agreement signals to me and millions of others the Donald IS indeed mentally impaired, as the article states "unpredictable " and no to be trusted!
I don't know about anyone else, but this grandmother is very concerned about the mental state of the so-called president!
Please vote, folks, make sure everyone you know who is eligible to vote ... votes! Save our nation and democracy!
15
This tells me the commander in chief is inept. Is this never a topic of discussion among the people going behind his back?
6
It's not presidential leadership when your staff has to do the leading. John Bolton was not elected POTUS.
7
John Bolton its now a wise strategist? The bomb throwing Fox news ranting Bolton? What a mess.
5
So, in fact, there is a Deep State.
6
Thank goodness that our Bolshevik-in-Chief has adult supervision occasionally!
2
Bolton was criminal in the Iraq context last decade.
Trump is criminal in his ignorance, in cow-tailing to our enemies and in abandoning our Constitution.
Talk about two wrongs making a right!
While we dogged a bullet now, there will be a time where our luck will run out.
I fear that day.
4
Makes me happy to think of Bolton working hard to keep his own worldview from becoming a reality.
3
Sometimes, when people realize that they have become the last bulwark against disaster, they give up their ideological fantasies, become practical, and do the right thing. But it's crazy to rely on that happening every time. The only way to begin to fix this is to vote Democrat in November and in 2020.
13
Mr. Bolton favors American hegemony over the world. I doubt the American population agrees with the view, since this thinking lead to the ongoing 17 year war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The NYT has a good article on this war yesterday.
1
Isn't this article just a way to create problems to the administration and turn a positive outcome in something problematic. Good job Mr Bolton I guess..
2
Thank you to those who respected our allies and our commitments to our allies. It makes my day lighter to know we have people working for us and our country who understand how alliances are supposed to work.
4
Sad! Even his advisers know that trump is a kindergartner needing to be managed...oh, let him think he is the boss of the world, but surprise surprise, when given real responsibility Bolton and Pompeo drop the rhetoric and act like adults.
And for those questioning the relevance of NATO, I think a strong alliance is very important today, given Russia's propensity for expansion, election meddling, and assasinations!
5
The clear message here is that the right simply uses Trump to agitate 'the base' and consolidate their power.
Whatever havoc he wreaks is inconsequential to them as long as they have the majorities.
Check out Devin Nunes' recent comments at a fund raising dinner.
3
Russia; always look to Russia for Trump motivation. Putin wants NATO destroyed. Trump attacks NATO. Vote out GOP for change. Ray Sipe
10
Well said, Ray, I read your comments every morning. Y'all down in a Florida need to get the vote out, turn Florida Blue, please.
2
One more piece of evidence that trump is a Russian agent, as are some gop senators. Ron Paul is in Moscow now as substitute for trump.
Whatever Putin paid trump, he is getting his money's worth.
13
I could hear John Bolton updating his resume the second I read this headline.
5
Ow they’ll have to phoney up a space battle cruiser and guys in space force uniforms to make him believe they implemented his space force. Maybe redub a old Buck Rogers movie so they’re saying “space force”. The Ming character would still work.
5
Given who they are, when even Trump's babysitters are having to keep him from causing damage to NATO you know things are bad.
Trump is the single most dangerous person on the planet. An incompetent, narcissistic, bigoted ignoramus.
17
Good thing trump can’t read and fox won’t report on this. He’ll never know.
21
The idea that we need to defend Europe against Russia is absurd. Russia is geographically large, demographically mid-sized and if it weren't for oil wouldn't even have an economy. Russia makes not a single product that anyone outside that country would want to to own or use. Russia is an oligarchical autocracy; most Russian citizens live in poverty. If the Pentagon were really concerned about the safety of America and other Western democracies instead of its own budget, we'd be spending money on anti-hacking software, not missiles and aircraft carriers.
67
@Jim
Not a single product? You don't know much about Russia do you? Aside from oil, they are also the largest single sellers of titanium. Do you know what that is used for?
Your jet fighters and military aircraft.
I'm sure the citizens of the Baltic states would heartily disagree with you.
The citizens of the Ukraine would not mind some help to get the Russians out of their country.
Editor’s note: This comment has been anonymized in accordance with applicable law(s).
1
@Jim Read the book "The road to Unfreedom" by Timothy Snyder and you might just change your mind about Russia!
Trump is a clear and isn't danger, even his own people are at odds with him.
He's against our government and America, Trump "is the enemy of the people" either because he sees the world as his enemy, or because he truly is the 21st century Manchurian candidate whom Putin owns.
8
“Deep State” in action. Thank goodness.
2
This must have been what it was like in France in the waning days of Dgaulle when the old man refused to wear glasses and thus had to have documents read to him by his trusted associates-many of whom had pro soviet leanings-and the French also0 decided that because they were the one truly cultured and great power of Europe-they too must have nuclear weapons, submarines, ICBM's as well as a private-anti NATO military. The French who had allowed thier pride to trip them up in the years before WWII and thus became a satelite and labor source for Germany , that no European country could face the Soviet hordes alone and so, they re-elected Degaulle-an invention of Time Magazine's francophile editor and practically destroyed the NATO alliance. . This is the general result, it seems , when the personal and egotistical requirements of old men and nations
take precedence over alliances of nations and people.
Lucky for Europe and the world that the Germans were not -once again-the enemy NATO faced in the DeGaulle years, instead of the Soviets-who were at least as paranoid and fearful of NATO and the USA as we were of them.
5
I have to assume John Bolton’s days are numbered, after this revelation. Our emperor won’t tolerate being exposed. Buh bye.
6
What do you call it, again, when your country has to protect itself from its own president?
9
Sounds like the Trump cabinet knows the 25th Amendment is needed!
2
Goes to show how NATO neocons subvert democracy in defence of their paychecks.
1
The action needed is impeachment and removal from office of an incompetent and potentially criminal (just need the trial to prove it) stolen-presidency president.
9
Absolutely astonishing! That a President's advisers have to work behind his back to keep him from destroying the bulwark of the western alliance is grounds for his removal from office. Donald Trump is a sociopath suffering from narcissism, an anti-personality disorder. He is mentally unfit for office as this action by his top advisers illustrates. The 25th amendment should be invoked before more damage to our safety and well-being is perpetrated. This is an emergency well-beyond even the Russia investigation as awful as that already appears. We have an irrational, unstable, anti-social man wielding immense power in the most reckless and destructive fashion. He must be contained. While his advisers clearly are aware of his instability, they must do the next thing to protect us by invoking the 25th amendment.
10
John Bolton looking like a goodie is really alarming. Trump really has turned the US upside down. Oh for the end of this dictatorship!
5
what this story headline should read as follows..."U.S. non-elected Officials break the law as they forge treaties and policies behind the presidents back"
2
@WeThePeople
Incorrect. Treaties are always worked out by people under the President before hand. This NATO treaty was not kept from President Trump. If he is intellectually incapable of or too incurious to read the actual declaration before signing it, that is his fault.
3
So now the executive branch functions in spite of the President.
Is that good?
2
The grifter-in-chief presides over a corrupt coterie of self-serving minions. The dotard's pathetic bluster blows in the wind without heed by the rational. This stage of late capitalism brought about Trumpism. Just waiting until a new, enlightened stage in economic system development comes about to deliver us from the farcical con that is this current nihilistic regime.
3
Uh oh.
Somebody’s ego is not going to be happy.
11
Incredible that the "employees" must save the country from the president!
2
This whole "regime", of the bannana variety is a sham, a shame and very unconstitutional.
The great dictator is kept happy and vicious by holding rallies. These rallies make sure his base is kept happy, hyped and vicious. Poisoned arrows are launched by the regime, daily, to weaken and demoralize the free press.
Propaganda Is fed back to his supporters via State News a la Fox.
Said dictator watches, takes advice from and compounds his "goals" with "friends" Hannity et al. Supporters hear the dog whistles daily from State News and so the cycle of racism and ignorance continues and gains more traction within the United States of America.
Kidnapped children remain abused, caged and/or lost. Asylum becomes a non-entity.
Foreign Policy?
Behind the scenes of government unelected people like Bolton, Pompeo and Mattis see the reality of the destruction wrought by the orange headed one. They experience the weird hold Putin has on the demagogue, as they blanche with fear, they abandon their lying republican rhetoric and opt for conservative solutions. They mollify the orange headed incompetent.
The Congress is drugged and comatose, possibly by corruption and fear of the orange headed conman. The methane emitting from the swamp is chocking the body politic. Sometimes we hear from the Senate.
Meanwhile the conman breaks the rule of law, lies consistently and installs his "friends" in the Winter White House to search for ways to make a buck from the VA.
He needs to go!
7
This is the most unutterably sad piece of reporting that I have read in these pages since November 2016. The executive branch has to protect the country’s interest from the so-called President. If John Bolton is the sane man in the room, what is that room like?!
Please, please vote for sanity in November.
15
You mean to tell us that for all his 'smarts' people have come and clean up after he makes a mess? Jeez!
2
This article will probably cost Bolton his job. Never thought I'd see that as a bad thing...
94
@Jim You know, times are bad when you are led by an administration in which John Bolton is the rational actor in the room.
6
@Jim probably not unless Fox mentions it. Bolton's job is safe as long as the article remains just in print in the NYT.
Certainly can't have Little Day Care Donnie having a meltdown temper tantrum can we? This is all so disgusting. Throw this unqualified bum out of office at the soonest opportunity before we nothing left.
1
Ha ha, I like the the left thinks this was done with out President Trump knowledge!...nonsense,
1
@Jack
Knowledge is a loaded word.
Probably more a simple trade off: Trump gets his heart's desire to bash NATO, insult foreign leaders, turn up late to meetings, refuse to attend meetings and have it all broadcast live via cable news, a me strongman segment for his fans back home, while NATO and the people here behind the scenes, cater graciously to his whims, pretend to kowtow to him while doing the exact opposite.
2
What nonsense! Hasn't NATO done enough for arms manufacturers? Do we need to start a war with Russia? Should we continue for another 10 years in Afghanistan and elsewhere? And how about our great allies, these comatose people dragged into wars while sitting idle at home watching their own nation and civilization collapse!
A dark crazy umbrella indeed!
2
Great ,, now this can't be labeled as "Fake News" from the left wing media !!
This is just more evidence that Trump is no president, rather a blathering clown distraction selected for his role by a cabal of global fascists. He grabs the public attention with his shock and awe bloviating and porcine posturing, while his revolving teams of gangsters quickly rifle through the nation's purses and grab anything of value they can get their grubby fingers on. It's scary that a warmongering psycho like Bolton gets to play the role of the steady, sane diplomat in this particular scene. And to think taxpayers are forced to pay trillions to fund these shenanigans... Wow. America.
4
The training wheels will never come off with this President.
1
88 days until election day! Then the Emperor and Republicans will be told he has no cloths on.
1
While Trump's administration are hiding things, please consider hiding these:
1. His mobile phone
2. His long ties
3. His TV remotes
4. His pal Rudy
5. His orange makeup
6. The Oval office
7. Air Force One
8. His golf clubs, no wait, he can't tweet if he is golfing
9. His MAGA cap
10. His 39% base
6
@M. Jones - Best comment of the day.
And PS, Trump is not a child! He's a dangerous, immoral, money grubbing incompetent who needs removing from the office of President of the United States of America. Checks and balances way too slow on this one.
3
The next Congress needs to start the process of retaking power from the Executive Branch. We see in Trump's actions the danger of such a concentration and the unwillingness of the Republicans in Congress to serve their Constitutional role as a counterweight. A weaker President is essential for a stronger democracy.
Trump will read this. Maybe it is not wise to publish this story. If some guys can do damage controle behind the scene, maybe its best to let them their job. Now that Trump is aware of it, next important summit, he may look for advanced deals and wreck it in advance...
I'm a never-trumper who spends time on Breitbart debating (if you can call it that) with the supporters.
But I'm sorry, the Trump admin has really accomplished something here, and trump's unpredictability and general obnoxiousness unquestionably helped bring that about.
Signing a declaration that covers implementation of the '30 30 30 in 30' plan and making it easier for foreign troops to move thru allied NATO countries, which came about quickly and without all the diplomatic difficulties, delays and typical time-wasting, were two very important objectives which American military planners saw as being vital to enhancing NATO security.
Quite a lesson in diplomacy and achieving diplomatic objectives, I have to say.
So, along same these lines, I have yet to see the story of Rex Tillerson's moves to prevent Saudi Arabia, and UAE, from invading Qatar, with the intention of bankrupting that country, and taking their gas reserves. These are "allies" of the U.S., with 10,000 troops stationed in the only military base in the Middle East! Our nefarious ME allies have become emboldened by tRump's lack of foreign policy, and extreme weakness, in the face of crisis. I'd like to ask, again, is tRump able to answer that red phone, in the middle of the night? He is not fit to govern. He is not governing. Republicans are enabling him, and voters must send all of these no-goods home, in the next 2 elections. We are approaching the edge of the cliff.
1
In other words, semi-loyal Americans had to step in to prevent our president from sabotaging an alliance that has kept us and Europe secure since 1945 against the government that Trump now works for, Russia. NATO has prevented another world war, prevented the use of nuclear weapons, unified the west around the issue of shared protection, created global prosperity on a scale the world has never seen before and generally made human beings feel it is safe to bring children into this world. Naturally, Trump would do everything in his power to destroy it. After all, he had nothing to do with it, so it MUST be a "complete disaster."
2
Trump's antipathy toward NATO is linked to his alliance with Putin that we all saw so vividly in Helsinki: Trump knows and fears that the intelligence agencies of NATO nations are working with the CIA, NSA etc to reveal his 2016 campaign's conspiracy with Russia to get him elected.
1
Certainly hope that EB will run my critique of Ms. Cooper's well written column, although I disagree with it. After all, how many commenters can claim to having had lunch with the "bete a penser" of he OAS, JJ Susini, whom I knew first in Algeria before independence when he was negotiating withe the moderate wing of the FLN incarnated by Abderramane Fares, and then in Paris. It is relevant to the article, in an indirect way,and hope you appreciate that.Since Ms. Cooper does not name sources INSIDE the admin., but only those of the outside who may have their own agendas,her piece lacks credulity!By the way, over 130 innocents were not killed in Paris and Nice over past several years, nor would we have seen the carnage in Manchester and on the London Bridge all because of a disagreement among NATO members. Transnational terrorism and lax border controls are main threats to public safety, not a "desaccord" within NATO.
How sad that we have a so-called chief executive who is so disengaged from his work. He obviously figured out that such pithy items as NATO relationships cut into his tweeting time.
Trump is just playing at being president. It's all just fluff to him.
1
Well, Dandy Don was never gonna try to read 23 whole pages. And I guess from, say, Pompeo in Korea, this is jst how we're doing things now.
Though of course by next week, he'll be celebrating his victory over NATO.
1
Well done, Mr. Bolton. Well done.
How much more proof of his (Trump's) absolute unfitness for the office do the Republicans need?
Failure to act on his irresponsibility is (Insert the dread "T" word here);
All responsible citizens need to vote accordingly (That's for ANYONE running as a Democrat) next November 6th.
6
It is utterly foreign to me and terrifying that top officials have to sneak around to stop trump's fight with the rest of the world, and most of the citizens in our country.
Why isn't something being done to stop him or at least slow him down? Can we afford to wait until November?
2
It's unfathomable that members of Trump's administration are now in the babysitting business — going through dramatic machinations to shield the U.S. and our NATO allies from the vicissitudes of Trump's quixotic, myopic and frequently ignorant decisions. How much longer before we can expect a real president in the White House?
2
This situation is a sad commentary on the state of the presidency in the US right now. Why have a president if his advisors must engage in backroom negotiations behind his back? Trump would scuttle the ship he was on even if there were no land within sight.
It remains to be seen and will be interesting to watch how his aides, cabinet members, and advisors act and speak when the 2020 campaign rolls around. I'd like to think they'll then speak out in open admonishment of him. But I'll bet double that they'll fall all over themselves in praise of this failure of a president in order to preserve their own skins.
1
Not surprising. Vladimir Putin told the world he wanted Trump to win the presidency. You would think that even Trump supporters would be a little uneasy about that. Do they really think Putin wants what's best for America? Maybe he sees that Trump's smash, smash, smash approach to global economic and political alliances dovetails nicely with his own Make Russia Great Again agenda. Of course, as we saw on humiliating display, Trump is too weak or compromised to stand up to him.
1
I think most reasonable Americans have been fervently hoping over the last 20 months that somewhere cooler heads were running the government store behind the ridiculous antics of the mechanical manikin in the window. To discover that John Bolton is one of those cooler heads is a fitting spotlight on the predicament we are in.
This begs the question who is at any given moment actually performing as chief executive and commander-in-chief while the world is pre-occupied fixating on the daily struts, preens, and tantrums of the nominal “president.”
2
Although there is an amusing aspect to this story in hearing of the White House staff scrambling behind the back of the Improvisor in Chief to keep him from sabotaging yet another summit, the fact is that Mr. Trump is asking some good questions about NATO, in particular to its continued expansion. It is the addition of former members of the Warsaw Pact, and former Soviet republics like the Baltic States since 1999 that has engendered a lot of the defensiveness and paranoia coming from Russia. Nobody likes being encircled by a military alliance specifically aimed at them, and shouldn't be a surprise that they have lashed out in the ways available to them, and in maintaining their footprint in Syria. President Trump was elected in part because he is unafraid to ask previously unthinkable questions about U.S. policies. This story of staff working to cut him out of the loop is at least as disconcerting as some of the questions he asks.
1
Those who question the value of the NATO alliance today may often know their world history but fail to recognize existing threats to western individual freedoms and economic prosperity. Freedom and prosperity walk hand-in-hand. Freedom without prosperity is “nothing left to lose” (credit to Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster in “Me and Bobby McGee”) and prosperity without freedom is kleptocracy, the latter of which is today’s Russia. It is not surprising kleptocracy appeals to the failed businessman and conman, President Donald Trump. It is surprising, or should be to all Americans, an American president rejects the Oath of Office, the foundational democratic values of the US Constitution, and the national security alliances and concerns of the USA for the allure of wealth and power at the expense and exploitation of people. Mr. Trump demonstrated all these anti-democratic influences in Canada at the G-7, at the NATO conference, and in Helsinki with President Vladimir Putin. Russia incorrectly blames airwave influences (like Radio Free Europe and western television broadcasts) received by outer Soviet bloc countries for the collapse of the USSR, when it was the persistent exploitation of its population and communist State-owned economic system that failed. In turn, Russia now attacks western democracies with apparent vengeful irony of election hacking, disinformation, and propaganda designed to destroy them and the NATO alliance.
Does anyone think it is strange that the president skips National Security briefings but has time to politic for a local state politician. Remind me again of what the primary responsibility is of the office of POTUS?
4
Very dangerous move by Mr. Bolton and I'd bet that he knows all the negative ramifications of his move.
This is government of laws, not of men...at least, it used to be.
We are in serious trouble.
This makes Trump look very weak and ineffective, especially coupled with his poor performance next to Putin. Why would any foreign government pay attention to Trump if they know that Trump's foreign policy team will simply negotiate a better deal behind the President's back?
What is to keep Trump from ordering his Secretaries to abrogate the directive now that we all know it was done without the President's knowledge or approval? Or, was it simply a bit of play acting on Trump's part all along. Either way, we're entering a phase where no other nation will take America seriously anymore.
88
@M
US Presidents have always been week. Their policies are temporary at best and can only do immediate damage in most cases where Democrats and Republicans have diverging views. Just a matter of time that Democrats place a President in the WH to screw it up so the next President is a Republican.
@M How can any other nation take America seriously anymore when Donald Trump is the POTUS? Hopefully Trump remains "weak and ineffective" as long as he remains in the Oval Office. It would be Tragic if he actually had the Powers that a POTUS should have.
@mannyv
“In today's world what is an enemy? What is a friend? Are there shared values? What is the real value of the alliance?”
An enemy of the U.S. and of NATO, as of the EU, actively wishes ill in body and spirit and facilitates attacks to that end.
A friend understands that holding against the destruction of the alliance, and by extension the West, is a vital defense.
“Are there shared values?” is a more nuanced question. But it seems obvious that an essential value is to hold the alliance itself together against blatant aggression from Putin’s Russia.
By the way, though the present administration and its cohort of quislings are working against it, full globalization is inevitable. But there will be more and less influential power centers. To keep them in balance, we make cooperative trade agreements which in part promote peaceful competition rather than armed conflict.
So, the alliance is of value because Putin has proven that he has no peaceful intentions and that he seeks the demise of the West.
He also seeks domination over Asia and has stated so.
And Putin’s actions in the Middle East demonstrate his seeking this same goal there: Russian dominance, east and west.
5
At what point do these actions constitute lese-majesty, or even mutiny? Given Trump's well-documented petulance combined with his fragile ego, expect some fireworks, some kind of showdown, the beginning of his end, dare I breath it.
7
Trump questioned whether the United States would defend Montenegro after this year's NATO summit meeting in Brussels.
The reason that our vulgar, mannerless, narcissistic, mentally unfit and poorly educated head of state picked Montenegro - a country that he most probably couldn't find on a world map - is that a video of him taken at last year's NATO summit pushing the prime minister of Montenegro aside to get to the front of a group meeting went viral.
This president is the prototype of the Ugly American, albeit he is a danger to not only the US but the world at large.
The Theatre of The Absurd has turned into a horror show.
20
@Sarah hmmm? I can't seem to find that "viral video"?? can you provide the whereabouts of such? And what does its relevancy have to do with non-elected officials forging treaties and alliances without the presidents knowledge? That act is punishable by law.
I never like John Bolton for his warmongering attitude and hatred for Middle East third world countries. This time he did good job saving NATO. There is no doubt that the European NATO members should spend more and America should demand it. But in last G7 meeting behaved like a bully boy disregarding all kinds of diplomacy and decency.
Putin will be very unhappy and Trump will be angry. Trump's number one job is to keep Putin happy. Now what he is going to do?
15
JOHN BOLTON? Mr. Rip It All Apart?
Who would have thought it?!
13
Now if only the Republican members of Congress would recall that they took an oath to the Constitution of the United States and protect us from the lunatic traitor that is Trump.
11
@Sherr29 since you brought it up, maybe the same should apply to ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS who advocate for ANY kind of GUN REGULATION. For that too is a violation of Oath of Office and is punishable by prison and monetary fines as well as removal from their elected position and a ban for ever being able to run for an office again. If you advocate for gun regulation you are advocating for change to the constitution second amendment which is directly opposite of defending said document.
1
No Twitter storm of insults from Trump yet.
Bolton and Kelly must have something especially nasty on Trump.
8
Trump's staff probably working overtime to keep news of this from him. What an incredibly sorry time in our history.
1
John McCain liked to call himself a maverick. But, in fact he's apple pie. Conservative, human, and slightly corruptible around the edges in a Main Street way (think savings and loan scandal).
Trump is a maverick, random, untethered to anything but his narcissism and self interest and his control: Putin, who played, corrupted and enslaved him expertly.
The ludicrous spectacle of "Deep State," a.k.a. known as the remnant shards of our defense and intelligence establishment, having to scramble to salvage NATO and its 75 years of stability from the malicious pranks of a 74 year old fat infant tyrant should be pathetic, humbling, and deeply alarming.
Impeach him already!
18
@jwp-nyc advocating for McCain and screaming out against trump is about as hypocritical as one could possibly be.
1
This situation is totally unsustainable and dangerous! How long will it be before Trump gives orders to bomb country X and the officials refuse to do so? Constitutional crisis number two or three....
5
@cyclist- Actually, the Congress is supposed to be a check against the powers of the Presidency. The problem is the Republican controlled Congress hasn't been upholding this responsibility other than an occasional public statement ( their equivalent of a meaningless tariff) on the Presidents powers. This is leaving individual offices the desperate measures they are undertaking.
4
NATO exists to protect Europe from Russian aggression and Europe from self-destruction nationalists wrought with two world wars, nationalists who are ascendant on both sides of the Pond now.
3
I would remind you that the only time that NATO members have invoked the clause that protects other member nations was on 9/11 when it was done to protect the United States.
3
I do not understand the fear that the Nato alliance is ready to fall apart. It sounds to me that the press is building this up to something more than it is. The Alliance has been around since the end of WW II. I do not think the Europeans or the USA are ready or willing to scap the Alliance due to the frequent tweets of a mercurial President. As Walter Mondale said "Where is the beef."
2
This isn't about tweeting. It's about your president working at Russia's behest to dissolve the Western democratic world order. Alliances like NATO are only as strong as their members' willingness to not to destroy them.
@Rod Hi Rod,
Do you think Russia fears Nato in an of itself? If the US backs out of it militarily and politically ( think Economic sanctions) that Russis would not grab more of Eastern Europe ( which in many Russians'minds belongs to them as much as China thinks they own the South China sea). I suggest reading some history and understanding that when a power/leadership vacuum is created , it will quickly be filled by the next in line.
1
The US: maybe not. However, don’t bet the farm on Putin’s Pet Poodle.
2
The real battle here is whether the US will practice Isolationism or continue to be a world leader. Russia and China are actively expanding their roles globally, legally or illegally making resource grabs, and fostering division in the US causing our national focus to be internal as they expand internationally. Trump has been the perfect puppet to allow this and Russia the primary puppet master. China is taking over the South China sea and buying rights to precious resources through acquisition or favorable trade agreements. Russia grabbed Chechnya and Northern Ukraine, setting pipeline deals with Europe and Turkey, and is rattling their weapons across Europe and the Mideast. Trump's main concern is building the our version of China's Great Wall (at an exorbitant cost) to prevent a relatively modest amount ( as a percentage of our population) of illegal immigrants. In addition, he is tearing down trade treaties at a time when our rivals are expanding theirs. Wake up folks, the outside world is getting closer to our doorstep and we are worried about interior decorating.
9
Excellent comment and right on the mark. Putin has played Trump like the toddler he is. It was too easy. Our puppet in chief is in way over his head and destroying this country.
1
John Bolton is the closest thing we have to a voice of reason. God help us.
14
Seems like a good cop-bad cop type of approach. And isn't it usual for the advance men to do the work before an international meeting. Great headline NYT
2
This just in: no, it isn't usual for State to run around behind the President's back because he can't handle reading a couple pages and generally behaves like a ranting fool who's got an odd aficion for Vlad Putin.
2
This is what happens when there is zero leadership from above. I knew Trump was a liar and a con man, but I marvel at the man's incompetence. It's easy to understand how he managed to bankrupt every one of his businesses. He'll do the same to the United States if his actions continue to be unchecked.
8
His incompetence is the only thing that protects us. Just imagine the damage that he could do if he were minimally competent.
Bolton just got better press than Trump and made The Donald appear to be the fool that he is. How many days before Bolton is out the door?
11
Bolton finally does something good and the press flaunts it. This article could have been written differently, facts only that is, that would not incite Trump. Now who knows what will happen.
And, apparently, none of the advisors sees a problem with this? That they have to hurry to protect an agreement between nations because their own president is so capricious and ignorant that he is likely to "blow it up"? Why aren't these guys willing to speak out and tell the American people the truth about the man they work so hard to protect the country from? Bolton, Kelly and the rest do Americans no favors by covering for Trump. They should be telling anyone who will listen about the danger posed by the man in the Oval Office--not just to the U.S., but to other nations as well. Trump should be isolated and pushed to the sidelines, and instead they genuflect in public and scurry to cover for him and undo the damage he causes in private. Disgusting.
11
So, Donald Trump is irrelevant. In reading the papers this week, that's becoming more and more apparent. Trump cozies to Putin as we sanction Russian. State and Intel call out North Korea as Trump declares "problem solved." Trump talks about water being wasted in CA while Ross and Zinke gut environmental rules.
This is not good either. This is sneaky, incompetent government.
Democrats...got it? The issue is competency of government, particularly Congress which can't spell either "legislate" or "oversight."
6
For such important thing, if team have to hide the info from chief then it can only mean one thing: Chief is unqualified to be chief. Fire him pl.
5
As Kevin McCarthy would say, "Trump is untrustable."
3
We are indeed in perilous times when the likes of John Bolton are actually the voice of reason in this administration.
6
Sometimes you have to go behind the back of crazy grandpa for his own good. Frightening, however, to see that John Bolton is directing foreign policy.
3
Wouldn’t it be better for our country if articles like this were left unwritten?
3
No. Obviously not.
1
NATO is an important institution worth preserving, but the US taxpayer should not be paying more than rich European countries to protect those same European countries. If Greece and Estonia can contribute 2% of their GDP, then so can Germany and France. Germany’s contribution should match that of the US at 3.5% of GDP.
@SW
Militarizing the world isn't the answer. Why don't we try peace for a change?
3
@SW: What you and many others, including Donald Trump don't seem to understand is that while the US is spending more than 2% of GNP on our military, we are really spending at most, the agreed 2% on preparedness in the event of a European war. The rest is spend to fight an endless war in Afghanistan. The Nato agreement is that all members of NATO are to spend 2% of their GNP on military readiness to defend Europe. Trump is not telling the truth here. What a surprise!
1
Isn't it perverse that the "meatiest" result from a NATO conference came under Trump's name? If the Four 30s are necessary and the command post in Virginia is essential and we now have them, then Trump notwithstanding, NATO is stronger.
Why didn't previous NATO governments with the "right people" and "stable people" in the big chairs get these things done?
Does it really take a loose cannon as US president to panic NATO and the entrenched apparatus people to do things that are in its best interest?
Its all very odd.
5
I think what it takes is a restive Russia.
3
@Barrie Grenell
Ah - good point. Yet Russia's been restive since at least its Georgian campaign in 2008.
I remember J.McCain getting very agitated over that move during the campaign.
I am beginning to think that we don't need proof of collusion or obstruction to bring impeachment charges against Trump. He is committing high crimes and misdemeanors everyday in his inept and delusion attempts to govern the nation.
5
I can't stand the man but this story illustrates how Trump's iconoclastic behavior is changing the global dynamic in what might turn out to be positive ways.
Trump's presidency is much like chemotherapy... You wouldn't wish it on anyone you love, but - if it doesn't kill you - the ordeal can cure dangerous growths that have taken hold.
3
Another sign of incapacity to hold the office.
Oh, yes, just a difference of opinion!
How long is the Congress going to let this madness continue?
3
@JB We tried that before it led to WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Peace only work when everyone wants it.
This is just too much, among a never ending cascade of actions and words that are too much. The President of the United States is incompetent. He knows nothing of history, foreign relations, or where America's true interests lie. He is running amok on the world stage. It is time for him to leave the office. But the House will not do its job, and the cabinet heads, all beholding to Trump, many of them in place to feather their own nests at the taxpayers' expense, also are failing to do their jobs under the 25th Amendment. I weep for my country.
7
@A Good Lawyer since you wish to cite constitution please address the area of said documents for what is to happen to those who forge alliances and treaties/policies with foreign nations without the presidents knowledge!!
If Trump reads this article, and it's true, Bolton's done.
5
Consider this alternative Trump endgame: Starts war somewhere, declares martial law in name of national security, suspends portions of the Constitution, cancels national elections and imprisons objectors. This may lead to revolutionary or civil conflicts if Congress doesn't act. There may be a Coup d'etat. I used to believe this sort of thing was impossible. Scary stuff.
4
If John Bolton and Mike Pompeo are really the ones now managing some sort of US foreign policy, and incidentally the actual saviors of NATO, I am not sure the members of the latter may be rejoycing, or even making some sense of the whole thing.
1
Foreign policy under Trump is 90% reality television, and we're in Season 2 of the Apprentice Presidency. Never is there clarity. It's all about whim, what's in it for him and his breathtaking egocentricity above all.
As migrant families remain broken apart by his actions, he tweets about NFL players taking a knee, his political opponent of 2 years ago, 'rigged witch hunt' and other grand conspiracies.
All failed ventures: the G7 Summit, NATO Summit, Singapore Summit with North Korea, and Helsinki Summit. Nothing clear, nothing set--and our Transatlantic Alliance insulted.
6
Well, here's a first: I support Bolton's action on this one!
3
Consider the implications: The real patriots—the people looking after the country’s long term wellbeing—are doing their best to keep the Commander in Chief in the dark and to prevent him from exercising his “judgment.” It’s time to apply the 25th Amendment formally rather than implicitly.
9
If everyone is busy protecting America from our President, who is protecting us from our foreign enemies?
4
AS, you may not like NATO, but when the US was attacked on 9/11/01, Article 5 of the NATO charter was activated for the first time in its 70 year history to defend the US eastern seaboard. Moreover, the US is facing threats from China and Russia. NATO is still very relevant.
5
President Trump’s efforts to get our European allies to increase their defense spending has a direct impact on Putin. The stronger NATO is, the less maneuvering room Russia has.
So this was a good thing, right? Even President Obama complained about the Europeans lack of preparedness and not pulling their weight in NATO. Now, leveraging on Trump’s unpredictability, his advisors were able to muscle the Europeans into agreeing to the “30’s” agreement or increasing preparedness. Playing “good cop, bad cop”, Bolton and friends got a result that is good for the West, regardless of the noxious reason that they possessed this leverage. This will be a good result for world peace if the Euros follow through on this agreement (PS, they mostly haven’t followed through on their prior defense spending declarations).
1
US should pull out of NATO and close military bases in Europe.
EU should run their own defense.
1
@WiseGuy: He who ignores history is doomed to repeat it. Your argument is the same one that the isolationists used before WWI and WWII broke out. In both instances, it was US isolationists who empowered Germany to start both wars. It was US isolationists who stood by while German Submarines sank US ships in US waters. Just remember that if your neighbor's house catches fire, it could spread to your house too.
2
@Jeff Ahh .. the WW2 history .. who can forget ?
So is US supposed to defend EU for the next millennia, because otherwise they might start WW3 among themselves ?
It's amazing but not surprising that the upper tiers of the government are being run by people in spite of the POTUS. That Bolton is the one who came down on the side of mutual coooperation is almost beyond words.
7
If a shadow government is really running this country then it's time for the Republican Congress to do their sworn duty, support the Constitution and impeach Trump. Nunes should also be removed from his chairmanship position and be censored or kicked out of Congress entirely. November must be the start of a Democratic house because we may not be able to survive a full term with Trump.
7
@VMG no where in our constitution is the word democracy. This country is a republic and shall remain a republic. Democracy is bad, it allows 51% to force 49% into something they do not want. And that goes both ways Democratic or republican. Democracy is only for the majority not WE The People or the whole body of the people. This is why the constitution was formed and amended, to give equality to all of us. And it does not use the word democracy.
It’s not a shadow. It is people handpicked by Trump and approved by the Senate. They are the current, in the sunshine, government. For goodness sake. This shadow government nonsense needs to stop.
@Misty Morning
If these hand picked members of Trump's administration are going behind the back of the president and doing something different then what the stated policy of the President is then you can call it whatever you like. A government that has multiple policies means it has no real policy at all that other governments can understand.
And the GOP in Congress will sit by and do nothing. Why are we taxpayers still paying their salaries when they refuse to do their jobs? If I was so ineffective in my job, I would be fired.
4
I have to say that it does not matter what side of the political party you are on, the very real fact that one should understand after reading this news is that there is a group of people that have literally undermined the president and have created treaties with other nations without the presidents approval. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? Right or wrong in the purpose behind the reason these non elected government officials did what they did IT WAS DONE OUTSIDE AND AWAY FROM The President of The United States. THAT IS A CONSPIRACY by definition. This also provides solid evidence of a "deep state" within our government. ALL IS ILLEGAL according to the laws of our country. So where is the charges and arrests for this law breaking officials who have undermined the elected leader of the free world? Why does anyone who reads this not read between the lines and see the REAL THREAT that is right in front of your faces. This is why The Second Amendment was created. To form a militia to protect against enemies foreign and domestic. Domestic enemies such as this outlined in this news paper story. This at the least needs to be addressed for the crimes that it claims have been committed, and any deep state needs to removed for that is not what our constitution was established for, in fact just the opposite. It also outlines the policies and procedures for such a thing as this. So where is the enforcement of the supreme law of the land The Constitution?
When Bolton and Pompeo are the voices of reason in this administration, being fearful for our future is simply common sense.
8
Good cop / bad cop? I wish there had been a provision requiring the US to substantially increase its diplomacy assets.
4
It is in the American national interest for the United States and its NATO allies to have a businesslike relationship with the Russian Federation. Donald Trump's odd affinity for Vladimir Putin and his bizarre hostility to NATO suggests more of a cover up than a policy. The media coverage of the relationship between the US and the Soviet Union/Russian Federation has never been particularly helpful. What is needed now is a statesmanship that understands Russian national interests and aspirations, its agenda and whether any of this threatens the national security interests of the United States and its allies. It was not useful for the US to try and surround the Russian Federation with new NATO members that were former states of the Soviet Union. For me, what has happened in the Ukraine and the Crimea is unfortunate but not an American concern.
2
How about instead, we just have a president that we don't need protection from?
20
So what you're saying is:
Trump's hand-picked Administration Officials have to plot against Trump, to keep him from destroying NATO.
Putin wants Trump to destroy NATO.
In the long run, who is Trump going to obey?
Bolton, or Putin?
12
@John Doe Trump thinks everyone in his cabinet is beneath him so that make it dangerous for the USA.
If I were going to put a title to the rolling train wreck that is described here, I'd call it "The Madness of King Donald."
Everyone knows Trump is totally incompetent - especially the people around him. He's bigoted, opinionated, and impervious to facts or reason. He needs his ego stroked constantly. He's easily manipulated. That's why he tolerates so many grifters and outright crooks around him - as long as they flatter him and play to his prejudices.
That's why he's surrounded by a circle of people all trying to manage him for their own ends without being destroyed by him. That's why Republican party leaders refuse to rein him in - because they too think they can use him to carry out their agenda.
If Trump had not stumbled into the presidency with the help of Russia and a lot of ambitious fools, he'd be a deservedly marginalized and discredited fading celebrity whose children would be looking for the right facility to place him safely out of the way.
It shows how unshackled power and money can corrupt. So far we've managed to avoid a total melt-down, but the odds increase every day while the damage continues to mount up. When John Bolton begins to look reasonable, we are in real trouble.
Mad King Donald and all his boot-licking courtiers need to go ASAP - and take the Republican Party with them.
19
Thank God we have some adults in the WH. This is also a testimonial that the leader in the WH is a fraud. It is a shame we don’t have someone who can speak on Trump’s behalf and neutralize the hate and division Donald promotes.
5
Robert Mueller requests Trump-related portion of Manafort's trial be kept secret because it revealed 'substantive' evidence - NY Daily News
4
I guess this is the adults-in-the-room phenomenon we were promised when Trump was elected. I can't recall another time when it's been laid bare like this. Trump and his ardent followers ought to be embarrassed. Consider what this story depicts: men who were supposed to be advisers are forced to act as handlers because of Trump's impulsive need to say "no" to everything that was in place before he arrived. It's necessary not because Bolton and Pompeo wanted their policy views to win out over Trump's but because they know that Trump doesn't understand any of it and would do whatever he could to turn the meeting on its head just for the sake of the attention is generates him.
This is really an embarrassing, sad state of affairs.
11
@Lionel Hutz what this story depicts is non elected officials forging policies and treaties with foreign nations without the presidents knowledge, that is crime against America PERIOD!
@WeThePeople
The alleged "president" is a feckless, willfully ignorant fool who is more interested in self-enrichment, golf, and his cell phone that in actually performing the duties of the office to which he was appointed by the Electoral College. Somebody has to run the country, and I say this as somebody who detests John Bolton and thinks he belongs in jail.
We--the American people and the media--are tolerating an unfit president who does not listen to his advisors. Why does he even have them? His inclination is to rule as a dictator, but no one will seriously call this what it is. We continue to be unclear just what Trump's ties are with Russia and just how much they helped put him in office. Headlines like this one continue to normalize a man who has no business in any kind of elected office, misusing the power that he has daily.
8
So now WH staff and appointees have to work around the child in the White House so he won't misbehave in public. Wow...NOW would be a good time (this fall) to, in fact, drain the swamp....
13
If there is a "Deep State" as right extremists declare, it's floating pretty close to the surface in the White House regarding foreign policy. Fake President.
9
This is how dictatorships finally come to an inglorious end! Contrary to popular consensus, governments aren’t overturned by The populace. It usually happens within. While I personally applaud the move by Bolton, it also frightens me that HIS inner circle feels that they have to do this behind him.
225
@Eric Cosh I was at first concerned that this article would tip off Trump who might take action against his security officials . However, I then realized that he only reads FOX and, of course and much to my relief , they haven't covered it.
1
@Eric Cosh
Most of the major foreign policy issues facing Trump, are the same as those Obama faced. With just as much, if not more, shielding. Obamas' personal NK and Russia positions were more isolated than Trumps'; for he did not have the after office fortune and relationships to lever, as does Trump. Disagree with Trump's pragmatism becasue it doesn't fit Progressive mythology; but be thankful for a president willing to utilize his personal resources, to do what he thinks is best for America. Trump risks everything; that, is a very dirty truth. A truth, that while elevating a man, reduces America.
Albeit, America needs to move beyond the anthem; this debate also reduces the Country, to a song -- that few can sing. Trump also needs to redress an apparent judicial affinity for Catholicism. If I ever hear he's converted, I hope its 'fake news'.
@Charles
At least now you know why Trump is rumored to be seldom excited about morning security briefings. If I were Trump, I'd watch morning cartoons, learn as much and be entertained. Better yet, spend that time on Skype with Putin. While sending em (Security briefing team) to Pence; he'd believe them.
To anybody who happens upon this comment in the onrush of
posted comments (487 so far): I would invite you to stop and
consider the phrase "have not been previously reported" in the
third paragraph of the story. I have come to suspect that this
phrase is deployed by The Times as a meta-message about the timing
of the story in which it appears. Suppose, for example, that there
was some unrelated, but secret project going on in which a Times
reporter was embedded, but was sworn to secrecy (this actually was
the case during the Manhattan Project). It could use a story like
this one, with the hot phrase, to signal that the secret project
had reached the stage of writing a major report about its operations.
The reader would of course have to know enough about the secret
project to expect that such a report would be produced at some
point.
1
This is absolutely ridiculous and embarrassing to hear/read about. Who does tRump think he is, lording over everything only on his questionable terms. Oh right, he thinks he is The Lord.
Why doesn't Congress do something to smack him down into his place?!? Simply aggravating! This man needs to be humiliated and I sure hope that's coming soon, in the form of November elections shaking him up and much more as necessary. That Mr. Bolton of all people in that team has displayed common sense is actually quite relieving to hear.
4
How pathetic that officials have to work behind the scenes to protect what has worked well for America and its allies since the founding of the Atlantic alliance. And this because of one ignorant oaf who hasn't a clue about anything. What sort of a country has the United States become that it feels the need to work in such a way? A very poor, misguided one, I'm afraid.
8
"The efforts are a sign of the lengths to which the president’s top advisers will go to protect the alliance from his unpredictable antipathy."
"Unpredictable," Is that known as an understatement? How about calling this arrogant, self-serving individual in the Oval Office for what he is? Ignorant!
4
Certain European countries were able to provide all their citizens with a social safety net in the form of healthcare and affordable education. This entailed government spending, and perhaps a lack of military spending contributed to it. However, this makes them an adversary to U.S. interests who want to cut government spending to the bone. It's easy to cite Norway and others as an example when progressives demand the same benefits.
So it's not black and white. Our present government is staying in NATO to defend against Russian aggression, but mounting a trade war with Europe to bring them down economically.
Meanwhile Bannon tries to divide European countries between right wing corporate interests (by skillful use of immigration as a wedge) and progressives pressing for social benefits. This is obviously the same tactic used in the U.S. to divide us according to skin color.
Trump does favor Russia and the oligarchs who bailed him out. But keep in mind that at the bottom of every conflict is the struggle between oligarchs (all oligarchs) and those who would spread the wealth to the people.
5
"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction. . . ."
"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Farewell Address to the Nation, January 17, 1961.
6
I never dreamed I would thank Bolton for anything, but I do now. I doubt he will last long in the W.H. It is were common sense goes to die.
7
88 days and counting.
8
Better to keep the important decisions away from the ignoramus in the White House.
This was a wise move. Thank you Secretary Mattis.
11
But Mattis has knuckled under to Trump's insistence on a space force. I feel ke I'm living in some
1
Clear evidence that Trump is not fit for this job, at least in Bolton', Mattis' and Pompeo's opinion.
Clear evidence that it is something wrong, democratically speaking, with these Geppeto-like people who are hiding that Trump is not more reliable than their Pinocchio-like puppet.
6
The irony was that for all those voted for Trump against so call deep state, it seems the incompetence of our sitting president justifies making deep state deeper.
7
@M Eng you sir advocate against the United States Constitution and therefore are un-American at best.
It is absolutely shameful that presidential advisers and cabinet secretaries have to go behind Trump's back to save our foreign policy and our alliances from his stupid antagonisms, but it is even more shameful that those same advisers won't speak out -- or, best yet, resign -- in protest.
7
Sometimes we need a slap in the face to come to our senses. The Trump Leadership Crisis (I’m dubbing it ‘The TruLeadCri’) may bring some fouls of reason, aka Bolton, to reality. It may also bring some pragmatic thinking to our electorate and in return new reasonable states-persons.
Although, sometimes the slap feels more like a punch in the gut than a slap on the face. Unless given using reversed spiked brass knuckles. Which, is possible in light of the gangster/mod tactics of Trump’s loyalty enforcers.
Does he wish he was Italian? He could embrace the Italian mob persona and call himself an “Italian Stallion?” Or maybe he wants to be a Russian oligarch, quietly using the nations corruptive leanings to establish a fortune? No, quiet is not in his vocabulary. (A Preemptive Apology: Sorry Italy for messing up your language.) I believe he wants to be "Il Don di nome Atout, l'Oligarchia Italiana Stallone?"
2
So, long story, short story: even John Bolton isn't as narrow minded and vacuous as trump?
9
Even at a very young age of 6 months, young Donnie had someone cleaning up his messes. 70 years later, it's still happening. It goes to show that some people are just rotten to the core and never learn to clean up after themselves.
9
It a given when you have a difficult unstable boss, tell them as little as possible.
5
One thing not mentioned specifically in the article is that, historically, the US has ponied up around 3.5% GNP whereas the NATO charter requests 2% from each member country. Up till now, no other country has come close the their share. Note that Germany contributes 1.2%. It could be that Trump's rhetoric and bombast has pushed other countries to up their ante with more military strength.
Stop crying about him being a loose cannon. He might have gotten results. He and others in the US are tired of America footing the bill for everything, including NATO.
1
Or, we could see things from the other end: perhaps the US would be far better off, as are most of these NATO members, if we spent far less on our military and far more on our citizens.
3
@Bill The other countries in NATA already made a commitment to increase their military forces and were already taking steps to fulfill their committment. This was done prior to Trump entering office. He has done nothing alone those lines---he just wants to take credit (as usual).
So, they don't trust him either? Interesting and chilling. Goldilocks knows zero, zip, nada about how NATO has serves as a mechanism for peace. Yet, he gets to sit in the driver's seat? When my son was but young, he liked it when he was allowed to sit at the wheel of a firetruck at the nearby station. Never entered my mind to let him drive it.
8
Well, one reason at least to be glad that the current president doesn't like to read!
However, as an American living abroad, I am getting very irritated by the denigration of the expertise of the American Foreign Service since the start of 2017 as some sort of dark force that works against what is best for the American people. If the American people want more involvement in foreign policy, they have a responsibility to be better informed. When I return to the US, I am always taken aback by how the outside world seems to disappear. There is very little international news in most news broadcasts or front pages. Being well informed about events outside the US, beyond the latest "big story," requires considerable effort. Lots of things can seem "logical" or "make sense" until one has more and better information. I remember back in early 2001 reading reports here in Taiwan about how law enforcement in Europe was aware of the terrorist cells that had formed there and was frantically trying to get the attention of US political leaders. However, the "will of the people" at that time was focused on domestic affairs, so the warnings from Europe weren't given high priority. Until 9/11. As I watched in horror from afar (I have family in the New York area), one thought I had was, maybe the American people will finally start paying attention to the world outside. Not to what politicians and pundits tell them, but to the people who make it their life's work to be truly well informed.
13
I have mixed feelings about your report. Exposure undermines the ability of officials with a rational foreign policy perspective to protect us, at least to some extent, from a president who is driven by something other than US interests. But truth is truth.
7
The article reports that NATO plans to make major additions to its conventional forces at the Russian border.
What is this? 1913? 1938? The increase of NATO forces is well designed to stop the Germans at the Belgian border in August 1914. Or stop Hitler's attack on Poland in September 1939.
As they say, the generals are always fighting the last war. Or the one before that.
For 2018, the change is absurd. This is the nuclear age, remember? In 70 years, the US and Russia have not fought one battle. There is a reason, and it is just as operative today as it was in 1950, 1960...2000, 2010, and yesterday.
That reason is The Bomb.
It is likely that a conflict between American and Russian troops won't end in stalemate. Whichever side is on the verge of defeat will have a strong temptation to resort to tactical, battlefield, nuclear weapons.
Whoever denies this possibility is a fool.
It can happen. Or it is likely to happen. Or it is probable.
Many commanders will push for it.
In the Missile Crisis of 1962, Russian commanders on the beaches, awaiting an American invasion, were given tactical nukes and the authority to use them at will. Maybe again? Might not the same order go to NATO?
And only a fool would deny that the road would be clear for escalation. Unless somebody backs off from tit for tat, we will be looking at WWIII.
Putin is no fool. And if Trump moves to start a nuclear war, would our military, no fools either, obey his orders?
Get real.
1
@alyosha Tell that to the people in Ukraine or Poland or Crimea. THAT is what is real.
Forget NATO if there is no OUTRAGE over our coalition's killing of over 60 children in Yemen. That's our missiles, our planes, our allies, our intelligence that did it and NOBODY cares. Our coalition says it was a legitimate target. Where is the outrage and front page condemnation?.
9
It's remarkable and almost unthinkable that cabinet members would feel the need to quarantine the president from affecting foreign policy. Our cartoon president. Sad.
22
@Bob
I'm with you on this, Bob. How sad it is. I mean, it makes him look sort of useless, doesn't it?
3
Trump is an example of the Peter Principle: he has risen to a level where his incompetency demands prophylactic action by those surrounding him to protect the rest of us.
7
Much like moving fragile objects to a higher shelf before the hyperactive toddler bounds in, so too are Trump’s minders reduced to anticipating and planning around his destructive behavior. I await the tantrum-fueled outburst on Twitter: “I WAS TWICKED!”
14
Trump has Steve Bannon in one ear and Putin in the other ear both whispering the same message. It makes me sick to see a US president that hates America and democracy.
13
I wish trump would go his own way - out of the White House and maybe down to Mar a Loco (not a misspelling) which could easily be separated from the mainland due to its proximity to the ocean and he can run his own little government from there. Leave the rest of us to some sort of return to more normal times.
It’s amazing that others that many consider dangerous turn out to maintain a higher level of sanity than the president.
8
"Here comes Trump, quick, everyone hide, shut the lights, don't let him know we are here!!" It's a bit funny though not entirely considering all the damage he is doing. It's just nice to know that others realize the best way to deal with Trump is to avoid him. American voters used to understand that. Then in 2016 they forgot and boom, here we are.
7
So we have NATO to help defend us against Russia. And we have Bolton and Pompeo, two of the most bellicose public figures in recent decades, along with a general nicknamed 'Mad Dog' to protect NATO from trump, even as he tries to sell out to the Russians. I haven't felt this safe since I was crouching beneath my elementary school desk...
20
On the whole I would say Trump got the results he wanted from his team and from the meeting. He also got Germany and other delinquent countries to commit to paying their fair share of the NATO budget. Trump is being blamed for disrupting NATO, but, as he pointed out, if mutual guarantees of security and the deterrence of Russia were so important, why has Germany made itself dependent on Russian pipelines for its oil? The end result was a strengthened NATO. Is that somehow a problem?
2
Trump is like a simmering volcano, at times merely smoking and threatening, but at other times, exploding in wild displays of uncontrolled and spewed, damaging rage, hot gasses and boiling rhetorical lava. The technicolor show can be fascinating to watch. Its consequences, however, are downright scary, and the destruction can be permanent.
Unlike a volcano, however, the power to control this particular unnatural Trump force does exist, but only if those with authority, including Congress, the Cabinet, the Courts and presidential staff, act to reign it in. Unfortunately, too many of the aforementioned are AWOL, busy lighting their own sparklers and tossing common-sense sacrifices at Mount Trump in fawning efforts to pander and appease the volcano. All the while, they savor the PDAs occasionally are thrown their way by Trump like so many volcanic lava bombs.
It's reasonable to be afraid of an active volcano. The damage it does can be horrific and last an eternity. In the case of Trump, only the voters can stop it and control the damage. By the time they do, however, it may be too late, and the global landscape may be forever changed.
4
This is like an episode of MASH, where Col. Blake mindlessly signs off on a raft of forms presented by Radar O'Reilly.
4
Believe in a free press but I hope Trump doesn't read this. We need these watchdogs in the administration.
5
@A. Brown - That brings up a good question. Since Trump doesn't read will he find out about this? Is it being covered on Fox?
1
It is very oblivious the current occupant of the White House is uncomfortable with the freely elected leaders of Western Europe and Canada. He knows he owes his election to the meddling of Russia. He thinks he can make up foreign policy on his own, without any serious thoughts for the long term consequences
1
Trump stands for an unstable and unreliable United States. That is why Putin got him elected.
20
Putin, with a big assist from the DNC and the disastrous Clinton campaign (didn’t set a foot in Wisconsin or Michigan in the general!!!!!).
1
@JJ The Democrats were not complicit with a foreign adversary.
Nothing brings people together like a common enemy.
5
Look on the bright side, at least there are a few serious adults around Trump and they will never let him use the nuclear football.
3
"But its success, according to the American and European officials, lies in the feverish work before the summit meeting to keep it away from Mr. Trump."
**************
Apparently those who serve Trump are more prepared to serve America's interests than Trump is. My respect for Bolton and Mattis is a surprise as I would never have thought they would act in such a manner.
16
White House has preserved NATO despite the nationalist pressure to do so, and they had rightly done so. NATO had stood with United State during the fateful 9/11 and suffered with our military in Afghanistan, sharing the same pain and responsibility. Trump's attempt to ditch NATO not only threatened to destroy our allies' trust, but to destroy an institution that had prevented the tyranny of evil in this world (Communist and Islam). Let's hope that our next president will preserve the status quo.
3
So John Bolton is the new grownup in the room.
Now let that sink in for a minute.
It’s like we’re in a Simpsons episode, and no one is laughing !
16
This is actually a national disgrace for the US. What it says is that the entrenched bureaucrats who seem to run the policy of the country, are directly by-passing the man (President) elected by the people to change things. In other words, the "deepstate" are ignoring the will of the people to implement their own agenda. In any mans language, this is tantamount to an administration gone "rogue". Unbelievable.
3
Did you ever think that if the "deep state" is so "deep" and influential, how come you know about it? l
3
@KenH And he knows it all the way from the UK to boot!
This article blew my mind. I don't think America--or the world for that matter-has ever seen an administration where cabinet appointments have to orchestrate American foreign policy in secret because the president can't be trusted.
They'd better be careful--this "shadow government" to counter the crazy and danger coming from the president regarding our longstanding alliances--could stick in his craw.
He may not read, but he watches FOX and even they could pick up on the seriousness of "behind the scenes" (eg, away from the president's eyes) actions that follow precedent, not the latest animus of an unstable president.
I heard pundits making the excellent point last night that Trump is lucky he hasn't had a real foreign policy crisis to deal with since he was inaugurated.
I have to say America is lucky too, and cross my fingers every day that we can weather this period.
41
Many of the comments questioning NATO and/or American membership of NATO speaks to it from a narrow military standpoint, assessing the added US security provided by NATO – including the costs of the shared responsibility for other members security. Nevertheless, it seems to me that the legitimacy of NATO has more dimensions than short-term security considerations. The global dominance of the liberal democratic order with a regulated marked economy is under pressure. Not only by less than sufficient democratically minded heads of state like Putin, Sheikh Khalifa or Trump but also by the massive - and growing - power of global financial and technological corporations. The weakening of an independent press only adds to the bleakness of the situation. To the international associations keeping the liberal democratic order alive – e.g. UN, WTO, NAFTA, EU and to a lesser extent OECD perhaps, I would readily add NATO. Its worth in safeguarding global stability from the current POTUS is obvious and commendable.
10
To do that, these people need to shield the details from Fox News!
Jesting aside, this is quite depressive. Even the neocons are afraid of Trump's antipathy. Imagine that!
10
We got “Four 30s” in one of the “meatiest” NATO summits. The article indicates that this achievement was driven by a desire to keep Trump out of it. I would not dismiss or discount Trump’s influence on this process the way this article and the leakers do.
2
This was mutiny, plain and simple.
And for now i am grateful for it.
The reason we have a President behaving like this is because we have a Congress like this.
Our democracy is built on a system of checks and balances. When Congress looks the other way on every matter that the president deals with the autocratic behavior flourishes.
DJT is not bright and needs those guardrails to function. The guardrails are gone and we have to hope for subversive acts by two war hawks to keep us safe.
Vote 11/6 and let’s bring back some checks and some balance!
28
This would be an embarrassing headline for DJT if he knew what he was doing...it isn’t and he doesn’t.
3
I’ve long suspected that Trump’s team was working in the background to provide at least minimal protection against the fact that our President insanities, tweets, and in general lack of intelligence. Now we know that it is true.
13
Nothing like an imminent crisis to get people to agree and sign on.
The "good cop-bad cop" is a negotiation ruse as old as the hills in getting a criminal suspect to cooperate. For those unfamiliar with it, the suspect is severely threatened by the "bad cop", and to avoid his wrath, cooperates with the "good cop" to save himself.
President Trump is clearly the "bad cop" in his international dealings. Avoiding his wrath gets things off the dime more often than not.
6
John Bolton is the head of the Deep State? Yesterday it was Kevin Nunes protecting the GOP majority. At least it's good to Jaff Sessions has allies.
2
This story describes another national security game played by the Trump Gang. This "agreement" concocted by the Trump Gang isn't worth the paper on which it is written.
2
Hard to believe - Our president Trump is so off the wall that he makes Bolton look like a reasonable and thoughtful individual.
24
Just suppose what would have happened if during the Continental Congress of 1776, the delegate from the province of New York would have rejected to come to the aid of Massachusetts with the words:
“Massachusetts is a tiny country with very strong people,” “They are very aggressive people. They may get aggressive, and congratulations, you are at war with the British.”
But it's all about America First for him, the agenda is almost the same as the America First in the 1930'.
American nationalism and isolationism. The anti
-semitism of that age has now turned into anti-immigration.
The partners in Europe understand the message loud and clear. Trump's policy is no doubt supported by his followers and they will linger on long after he will be gone.
The Alliance is safe for now, but it's only a matter of time before some future president deems NATO irrelevant. Europe should realize it can no longer trust the US to come to its defense.
7
Europe does realize they can no longer trust America.
1
Amazing. Senior presidential advisors scrambling behind the president's back to save our foreign policy from him. Is this the president we need or want?
25
It is completely outrageous that work has to be completed secretly and before Trump gets anywhere near it to avoid him coming in as the proverbial bull in a china shop, destroying all progress. He's such an impetuous child, it makes me wonder if "the football" that follows him everywhere is actually a diaper bag and not nuclear codes.
How is it even possible these top administration officials can continue to turn their backs to the complete and total incompetence of this man to hold the office of president?
God help us!
28
Perhaps it was Trumps plan all along. The allies made meaningful commitments to increase troops .
2
The 2% defense spending target is actually Obama's plan. Ssh, don't tell Trump.
5
Good, I guess. But NATO has succeeded for all these decades on the belief that the U.S. would go to war to protect a NATO member. Stalin tacitly accepted that premise in 1948. I doubt Putin does now. One more example of going behind the screen to find The Great and All Powerful Oz is just a cheap huckster.
6
@Jim A.
Except that there never was any plans by the Russians (or Soviets) to attack, or overrun anybody, as the now opened secret archives show. Communism always spread through the ballot box and not bayonets. The USSR held its side of the Yalta bargain, so did the Americans. NATO (and the Warsaw Pact that followed 6 years later) were as superfluous then, as NATO is now.
Generals working feverishly to prepare for World War II, creating an enemy, in Russia, that should in reality be an ally. Time for the east coast cosmopolitans, whoever they are, to step back and understand people in the heartland have no interest in a war with Russia. Please get over HRC’s loss and Russia’s real but minor involvement in that loss, and consider the national interest. HRC’s loss is not worth going to war for, and Russia has a natural sphere of influence in Eastern Europe.
1
I never see any comments moaning about Hillary Clinton’s loss. What I do see are endless juvenile tweets by our juvenile President about Crooked Hillary. Seems to me it’s not liberals who are obsessed. Besides, the fact that multiple members of Trump’s cabinet and advisory staff had to go behind his back to preserve an effective, longstanding military alliance means Trump had nothing to do with it. He actually had to be shown flash cards with key points in order to get his buy-in (one of the flash cards probably assured him he would be getting an extra scoop of ice cream if he signed off on it). Can’t wait for more juvenile tweets this morning after he sees this article.
30
Will John Bolton and John Matthis soon be fired when Trump finds out that he has been lured into signing the NATO communiqué last month in Brussels? The document explicitly endorsed Article 5. What ‘s so delightful was that Trump didn’t know about it when he met Putin. But he must now feel duped that he unknowlingly agreed to the principle of collective defence, while he questioned the US commitment to defending all NATO allies in an interview on Fox News days after the summit.
Bolton must be seen as a white knight by America’s NATO allies. But they need a Uber-hawk to help them strengthen their defence against possible Russian aggression. He, Mattis and Mike Pompeo were eager to salvage the communiqué after seeing the G7 debacle Trump left behind in Canada a month earlier,
10
The first planned mission from the Administration that involved goals for peace, plans for cooperation, targets for success, and conceived a process to run it past Trump without his weighting in because his imaginary finds destroy real things.
7
That is probably the best news I have gotten about Bolten.
Is there still hope for this administration?
I don't think so.
12
Members of Trump's cabinet have joined the proverbial "Deep State"?
8
Let's keep in mind that we still need NATO and will for the foreseeable future. Eisenhower thought it could be disbanded once Communism fell. But he was wrong. We didn't need NATO because Russia was Communist; we needed it because Russia is Russia. Nothing has really changed. Communism was never the end point for them -- it was simply a convenient ideology in service of a higher worldview, i.e. Russia as ruler if its hemisphere. From Putin on down, that's their goal and even a casual observer ought to be able to grasp it by now.
9
@John Binkley
And why is that - if we accept your premise verbatim - any different from what the US practices in its own hemisphere? Have you ever heard of the Monroe doctrine?
This sounds like a victory for reasonable administrative judgment. But it is a far more troubling element of what has always been an army of unelected bureaucrats directing US policy--and resources. In fact, it is one of the reasons why in the US political economy especially, that presidents are most welcome as mere politicians, because it creates a (purported) need for layers and layers of "the best and the brightest" who shun electoral politics in favor of behind-the scenes influence. It is what fuels the so-called "deep state." This story isn't good news: it's troubling news about how the office of the president has been subject to an effective hostile take over. And some of the take-over interests have agendas, means and motives that are utterly unaligned with the American public. As JFK said, "the most dangerous man in the White House is a president who can think for himself."
79
@Matt Andersson the next step of the takeover should be to invoke the 25th amendment. This report is further proof that the man is not fit to carry out his duties as president, and is not willing to fulfill his oath to protect the constitution. He is the primary security risk facing the country today.
@Matt Andersson The "deep state" you quote is the product of Trump, not a systemic condition. It's come to life because we have an impetuous president who refuses to educate himself on the issues and who has a world vision that is nonsensical. If this deal was made behind his back it's because he can't manage people. He doesn't have their respect. He's a horrible president. But you're right, the actions taken by Trump's administration to save NATO were essentially a hostile takeover. The Trump administration has been "handling" him from day one. Who knows how many disasters they've avoided. The "deep state" isn't run by Obama and the Clinton's. It's run by Trump's administration.
@Matt Andersson
Did you not read or understand the article? The article clearly states that this policy call was made by Bolton -
Trump's appointed National Security Advisor - and delivered by Amb. Hutchinson - Trump's appointed NATO Ambassador. Are you saying they thwarted Trump? Your bizarre assertion of a "deep state" thwarting Trump - it was his appointees that did this, not a "deep state," and, separately, your impugning of the men and women in government service (which includes uniformed military across the security Departments) is really quite distasteful.
And here is the real "deep state". It's the sane members of the Trump administration trying to protect the country and the world from Trump's stupidity and pettiness. It's a sad day when the US President has to be sandboxed by his cabinet members so that he will not continue to damage strategic military and economic alliances.
21
So Who’s really running the country?
9
Thank God for every single one of the NATO members for working double time to pull this off beautifully without a hitch.
6
I have ceased trying to comprehend why any American still supports this man when his own selected people are actively working against his helter skelter proposals.
11
No other president has needed minders and frontmen who pave the way with apologies for their boss’s behavior, and no other president has tolerated such insubordination from his subordinates.
3
Trumps concerns about NATO have been mirrored by several of your past Presidents.. He's just taking a more unorthodox (yet straight forward) approach to try and get partner nations back in line on defense. I get that, and as Canadian I feel we should be spending way more than we do.
It's not just about being prepared, it's also about search & rescue operations, coastal concerns, peacekeeping & national emergencies where they military can be called forth. We Spend over $200B a year on Health Care, and 100s of Billions on social agenda's but can only find a measly 20B for our national Defense? That's a joke.. and definitely needs to be addressed.
1
I wish our country spent more money on their society instead of tanks and bombs. it's a shame my country has money to be present all over the world militarily but we can't afford to give everyone healthcare first. what's the point of protecting the homeland when our parents to newly borns can't spend the time to be together because they have crazy bills to pay.
8
Have any of you ever heard of "Good Cop / Bad Cop?"
Sometimes being thought of as somewhat crazy, reckless, and/or impulsive has distinct advantages in dealing with truculent allies and adversaries. Nixon and Kissinger used the technique to great effect to extract concessions from the Soviets.
If Bolton, Mattis and Pompeo were freelancing foreign policy, do you think that Trump would keep them around?
6
What a sad indictment of the Trump presidency that all these people behind the scenes are having to to work so hard to ensure that alliances are continued that Trump wants to destroy.
Although the NATO allies are being reassured that the agreement will continue, it's just made Trump the laughing stock of the general populations in a lot of foreign countries and the bane of the politicians of those same countries, who no longer have any idea of whether Trump's mouth and Trump's twitter account bear any resemblance to what the administration actually wants to do.
The mixed messages really mean that America has destroyed most of its trust overseas and even after Trump (hopefully in 2020) there will be a huge mistrust that will take decades to rebuild.
And that assumes that we don't have wars in North Korea and Iran in the meantime.
2
That American officials today must negotiate with foreign partners in secret to prevent important deals being sabotaged by the US President is one of the most tragic stories I have ever heard in this country.
11
Why doesn't our government take immediate action, "to *shield the World* from Trump,” by constitutionally removing him from office, right now?
Friends and foes alike realize that this man will only continue to threaten world peace, each and every day he remains in office. So why wait?
Besides, wouldn't it be better for everyone, if *anyone* but Donald Trump were President of the United States?
My recommendation is, "Article 25 Trump" [he really is insane!], then impeach Pence [for attempting to replace our democracy with an Evangelical Theocracy]. And finally, install Speaker Ryan as President [and as our last, best hope], before we lose him at the end of the year.
With men like Paul Ryan, hope remains. But only if good men and women "man-up,” and act!
4
Call me a cynic, and I'm maybe attributing to Trump way more brains and cunning than he actually enjoys, but I feel NATO has been good-copped bad-copped into this by he and Bolton. He's got everything he wanted, the other NATO allies now will shoulder more of the burden than they did, while he also looks 'tough' to Putin.
2
@Sue
No. The other NATO allies will shoulder little more or nothing more than before. Putin is smarter than this. He saw a tiny Trump in Helsinki and was smart enough to not 'let on.'
4
I think if Trump was charged with treason, he would abdicate rather than face the music.
1
This has "Mad Dog" written all over it. Seize the initiative, strike fast, achieve the goal, and use Bolton and Pompeo to cover his flanks. Now we know why Mattis hasn't walked away.
I would not be the least bit surprised to find out the reason Mattis will be there "with Trump" through 2020 has something to do with that Washington tank parade, the one Trump so dearly wants, involving live ammunition. I could imagine that closed-door conversation ;) Not exactly between equals. One of them has likely read the US Constitution and actually does understand the effective use of power. One of them doesn't lie and means what he says.
3
I voted for Trump and I trust Trump over Bolton! I admit that Trump is gauche in the extreme but he is not a war-monger. Bolton is no friend to liberals or Trump conservatives (like me) who do not want to provoke wars or promote regime changes as Presidents Bush and Obama frequently did and Senator Clinton would have definitely continued to do! Bolton is a Neo-conservative of the highest order. I have no idea why President Trump brought him 'on board'. It is Bolton and other Dems/and Neo Conservative Republicans that seem determined to provoke some sort of conflict with Russia.
When are we going to stop provoking Russia and obsessing about all things Russian! I do not trust these MSM obsessions - I remember the obsession over Saddam Hussein - what a nightmare that turned into.
2
Trump needs to find and fire these moles in his advocacy group. NATO is great but we aren’t in Cold War these days and we should work on making America great again these people are clearly sabotaging our Presidents agenda. All these nations will do anything anytime to please America, because they depend on us. If China takes over then these nations will do what Chinese says. It is all about American economy and world will fall in order. By signing such deals under the table these people are working against our democracy and collective mandate of people. Lot of these people think Trump is not as smart as them but they are wrong else Trump wouldn’t be a president. Our economy is doing great despite so many self proclaimed pundits claiming otherwise, think hard Trump most likely has higher IQ then you.
If gov’t bureaucrats—Bolton, Pompeo, etc.— are gaming the system of nat’l government ... well ... someone has to bring a bit of sense to the table. But if our military is gaming the system of nat’l government ... whoa Nellie!
The record reflects that I am totally opposed to DJT and everything Republican. But I’m not ready for our military to be supplanting civilian control of American gov’t. There’s a lot more about this that I want to learn.
God save the Republic.
1
The world needs NATO to keep peace and preserve democratic values and human rights when they are threatened. It's been a worthwhile foundation of the U.S./E.U. alliance.
Trump does not support peace, democratic values, human rights or the E.U.
Neither does Bolton. Bolton likes using U.S. military might, really hates Iran and is a far right military hawk. Perhaps he has non-U.S./E.U. missions in mind for NATO forces. One has to wonder what his long game is, and if it involves provocation and war.
With no real leadership in the White House, and a President little interested in governing and diplomacy, the various advisors make decisions for the U.S., big and small, pursuing their own agendas without Congressional oversight or transparency.
When the POTUS must be kept in the dark
about the U.S. part in global security, so he won't destroy it, he is not a leader. He is a menace.
And when hawk John Bolton and Tea Party member Pompeo step in for Trump, and no one questions their authority, something is seriously wrong.
4
@Lilou
' democratic values and human rights'
This is sloganeering.
You can't define either.
Thank you. I didn't think so.
As a former soldier, I have grave doubts about NATO, but, greater doubts still about Trump. During the Cold War, NATO was pitted against the odious adversary of the Warsaw Pact, and we westerners clung to the comfort of mutual defence should the Russian bear rouse and wander. As history has proven, that was a veneer to justify NATO’s existence. Since the collapse of the USSR, perhaps struggling for meaning, the organisation has been used to steamroll into the Middle East, only to be sent largely packing, leaving behind untold tragedy in its wake. Now, NATO members, the US, UK, and Turkey, for example, flex their military muscle unilaterally away from the alliance which is no longer a vanguard for western democracy as a result. NATO may well be irrelevant in this reality.
Donald Trump sees NATO for what it is: an economic boondoggle of the military industrial complex. Unfortunately, he doesn’t see the downside to that. Instead, he wants member nations to spend more, burdening strapped economies now locked in trade wars with erstwhile allies, while the undefeated Taleban still hold sway in a former battleground. NATO exemplifies Trumpism, a massively corrupted white elephant whose moral ascendancy has been long squandered by appalling leadership and ruthless realpolitik. It is high time to re-evaluate western ethics in regard to mutual defence which has become offensive in all perspectives. Putin uses this hypocrisy to justify his own military adventurism.
3
@Marcus Brant
If I may: NATO was formed in 1949. The Warsaw Pact followed only 6 years later. NATO did absolutely nothing during the Cold War, as the Russians held onto their commitments under the Yalta agreement. NATO's first glorious achievement was the destruction of Yugoslavia, followed by the Libyan intervention and the never-ending Afghan war we are still at today.
Many of the postwar insitutions exist because it was in America's interest to preserve the independence of Europe.
In today's world what is an enemy? What is a friend? Are there shared values? What is the real value of the alliance?
That is a discussion that needs to take place. Blind adherence to the old regime is a recipe for disaster.
Modern Europe developed under the US security umbrella, and the US was happy to provide that umbrella due to the ideological conflict with the USSR. It was enlightened self-interest, but it was in America's interest. What is America's interest now?
50
@mannyv--It would be wonderful to debate and critically think about your last question Manny. Alas, I fear that the public is far too concerned with surviving with the day-to-day pressures of making ends meet to give it the time it deserves.
3
@mannyv The implication is that a rationale process of re-evaluation within modern contexts doesn't happen, or somehow is now only happening under Trump who, based on personal opinions and anti-EU, and anti-NATO rhetoric, is pursuing foreign policy with allies by wrecking ball. Also, just because Russia isn't the Communist "Soviet Union" anymore, doesn't mean there are not ideological differences. Russia is now an illiberal, autocratic kleptocracy that is actively attempting to undermine Democratic, Liberal values of the West and elsewhere. A strongman bullying government is a strongman bullying government regardless of what theosophical books it has on its bookshelf.
4
@mannyv What is America's interest now? Same as it ever was! Fostering an international order that mirrors our Western, liberal philosophy while simultaneously allowing us to profit economically. NATO contains Russia. SEATO contains, a little less successfully, China. These military alliances allow us to keep our military based abroad for quicker reaction in case of war/conflict. The more nations in NATO the better, especially if Russia complains. To question the need for ANY alliance is to fail to understand international affairs.
If half of the effort invested by the officials in saving the NATO from Trump could have been directed to the home front too the US'claim to the global leadership role wouldn't have been doubted as it is today.
3
How entirely laughable. It gets better by the minute.
7
" unpredictable antipathy " towards NATO? Quite predictable, I would say, if you realise that POTUS is a failed businessman in hopeless debt to Putin's circle. The old adages are Follow The Money and/or Cherchez La Femme - in his case perhaps Les Femmes.
27
Thank you for this important article. Nice to know what the heck is going on. The talk of "grown-ups" in the Administration has all but dissipated, for obvious reasons, but Mattis really deserved the title back then, and still does. Rather than feel gratitude toward Bolton, I'd rather channel mine to Mattis and his "Four Thirties" initiative. Now I can stop worrying over the fate of Montenegro.
12
Trump is not the American president. He is a thief who sits in the president's chair, using the president's office to enrich himself at the expense of the American people, while ignoring all the American president's duties and playing silly games while our foreign enemies seize the high ground.
47
Mr. Trump's first trip abroad was to Saudi Arabia, where he was treated to a sword dance after the Bedouins agreed to buy half a billion dollars worth of "beautiful American arms that everybody wants". Then he insists that the Europeans spend more on defense, i.e. buy American arms. The man's simply an arms dealer, a merchant death. Long live the military-industrial complex!
15
How much trouble are we really in? John Bolton is a moderating influence
16
And with every fresh, agonizing day of this madness I have to ask myself why Congress doesn't move to stop this menace to the planet. Who benefits? Are they this beholden to/threatened/paid off by scary Russians/the Koch empire? What will it take to stop this nonsense? If a Democrat had done 1 percent of what Trump has done, we'd have had Presidential re-elections last year.
No decency, no morals, no backbones, no patriotism.
We must bring as many people as possible to the polls in November. This must stop. The planet is quite literally on fire.
28
It's like parents child-proofing the kitchen before their two year old comes down for breakfast.
36
world peace - and the survival of humanity - is a team sport. Unfortunately the American President doesn't know how to be a team player.
6
Well, if a picture ever told a thousand words, we see it here. Excellent work! Ah, the sorcerer's apprentice, run amok, ...with Two Babysitters!!... (God help us!). Maybe a metaphor for a lot of the ruling classes? Where would they be without their media spinners?, ..their lawyers?, ..their stylists?,... their lobbyists?, their fixers?
8
I have yet to hear a reasoned argument why Mr. Trump decries NATO and other well-established and proven effective alliances. Off-the-cuff comments, gut-feeling, just because reasons are the stuff of playgrounds and school-yard bullies. And of the uninformed and ignorant. Oh, wait, I think I just answered my question . . .
8
Evidently the U.S. security team has decided that the best way to avoid Russian interference is to avoid Trump interference.
8
When I find myself relying on the likes of John Bolton to protect our country, I know that we are in deep, deep trouble.
29
At last the mastermind of the deep state has been unmasked.
It was John Bolton all along -- bwahahahahah.
5
John Bolton actually reasonable? Forget being more reasonable that Trump, but THE John Bolton,who's always wanted to bomb any country given the chance?!
Well,hell surely has frosted some.
Now,what's really in that policy document, I wonder?
5
Talk about Managing Up! It happens all the time; however, this NATO case will certainly be parsed in graduate seminars on public policy for years to come. (One lesson: professional diplomats generally know what they are doing and how to get it done.)
I only hope we haven't blown John Bolton's cover.
2
This is outrageous. Who's running this town?
3
Why stop the pillaging of democratic alliances by this jingoistic administration? Let 45 be 45. If we can rebuild a democracy from Trump’s rubble, we will deserve democracy. Otherwise, don’t bother me.
1
I find it SHOCKING that people like John Bolton are now heralded as heroes… it just goes to show you how disorganized and chaotic this current administration is.
6
Very ironic that NATO achieves more than usual, was more effective and proactive by what was agreed and signed off in this "Declaration" not because of the growing power and threat of Russia BUT because of the fear of Trump causing damage and the weakening of the NATO alliance by his unpredictable behaviour, lack of diplomacy and associated failings.
Forget Russia...NATO responded with greater haste and motivation to get more done because of "The Enemy Within" !!
5
I'm shocked, but grateful, that Bolton wd actually do something to help our country even if it meant risking Trump's disapproval.
5
My god! I cannot believe that I am glad for once that John Bolton is back in the administration. It really says a lot how sad the whole sorry mess is! Vote.
13
Does Donnie know about this?
I hope nobody tells 'im 'cuz he's liable to be hoppin' mad!
9
What a perfect distraction for Trump. He should only think about this, get furious, and make noise, because it is a done deal. Understand Mr. Prez, you cannot get away with everything. Make your usual noises and leave us alone for a day or two. Better yet, go and find those poor kids you have orphaned. That will keep you occupied for a few months.
4
Does this not indicate how low Trump has driven the US? Now, we have to work feverishly to put the paperwork in place before he arrives so he can't get his grubby little fingerprints all over it, overturn sensible decisions, and insult and threaten our allies. Isn't that like having contractors work through the night so they can complete the job correctly, on time, and under budget because the daytime crew chief is an incompetent nimrod???
7
Is there any question that Trump is a clear and present danger to the security of the United States as well as the rest of the free world?
12
This is another reason to reject any candidate for federal office who affiliates with the Republican party. Behind-the-scenes disaster crews don't make this country safer, they only make this country dependent upon the goodwill of the godless. Reject the Republican Party, and refuse to vote for any Republican candidate. We will survive the political reshuffle. We will not survive another round of Trump.
9
You printed this secret, revealing the almighty hand of The Deep State itself, Trump’s imaginary nemesis.
Now that Trump has found out that he got snookered (again) he will do his best to revisit and revise the N.A.T.O. deal that those government bureaucrats saved. He will sabotage it, move Heaven and Earth to wreck it — and N.A.T.O. itself — just to show us that he can; as well as collect another fat emolument from Putin himself for performing this vital service to Russian interests.
Thanks, New York Times Editorial Board, for doing your bit to advance Trump’s worldwide campaign of economic and political destruction.
5
Pompeo and Bolton are the rational ones in this administration. Think about that.
4
If these people are going to these extremes to circumvent the instability of this deranged individual, why haven't they dropped the other shoe and invoked the 25th Amendment? They're already doing it de facto if not de jure.
14
My prayer every night. We need to save the country and the planet.
1
Could this be "good cop, bad cop"? Bolton good. Trump bad. Worth a think.
2
@Mark Zilberman, LCSW: By saying there is some Trumpian strategy in play is ludicrous. You imply that his 'Unhinged, Unravelling, Unfitness' (thanks again, RLaw!) is capable of strategic thinking and planning. He is not.
There, one thought down. Next?
@Positively Don't be so sure. But, of course, I understand your point that's well shared. Remember there's a real value often times in appearing just as you say he is. I think they call it the "Crazy Joe" effect. Look at the outcome of this story. They made it clear that things happened that don't generally work out till the last minute. Let's see if he doesn't fire people for going behind his back and it appearing in the media. If he does nothing, you've got to give it yet another think :-).
I see Trump's animosity to NATO as predictable.
He spoke against it pre-election. He continues to rail against it. He's predictable.
I'm not sure why he does it. Because he genuinely thinks other NATO countries are taking advantage of American military spending. As an emotional appeal to his base. As a negotiating strategy to get other countries to spend more, or perhaps because it serves Putin's interests.
3
So his cabinet members can see he is out of control and dangerously inept but they will not wrest control from him by constitutional means. Hypocrisy. Dangerous hypocrisy. Surely it is criminally dangerous hypocrisy? Clearly they should invoke Article 4 of the Twenty Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution.
6
If this kind of “managing” is going on behind Trump’s back, what else is being handled this way?
7
NATO was the solution to the Russian Blitkreig theory. The Presidents of the U.S and Russia appear to be buddies. A deal may be done to engage in diplomacy over former East European issues that raise the spectre of a Russian first attack - much like the 'little green men' rapid take-down of Crimea.
Observers of East European politics acknowledge that ethnic Russians remain residents of former Soviet states. The real problem is political. Military intervention would be foolish.
Crimea fell quickly. Most residents (58%) living in the Crimea are ethnic Russians. They look to Moscow for leadership, culture and opportunities to raise their economic standing.
Russian enclaves in former Soviet states have similar challenges - dual allegiance to cultural and ethnic association as Russians and as citizens of Baltic states.
It would be better to negotiate a solution to incidents than to engage in warfare. I don’t see the Russians attacking France, Germany and Italy anytime soon: attacking customers is bad for business. And Russia would not likely launch a First Strike on the U.S.
Our greatest threat is not war with the Russians, it is global warming and climate change disrupting the ecosystem. We can do better with assistance of Russian scientists who focus on environmental challenges than inventing new military weapons. A material portion of money spent on the U.S. military budget would be better spent on R&D to mitigate GHG emissions that are ruining our planet.
3
It's so laughable to hear the Europeans described as allies. They are DEPENDENTS. Since WWI (though NATO is not that old) it's been a century of a one way flow of lives and money from the US to Europe. Time for the Europeans to start pulling their own weight.
A number of years ago a friend took her mother to London. The mother mistakenly tried paying for theater tickets with dollars. The ticket agent said that they did not take American money here. Friend's mother corrected the ticket agent: You mean nothing less than a million.
2
@Reader In Wash, DC Any money given to us (I am a Pom) had to be paid back with interest. Ditto the lend lease. The lease part came with a big price tag. The effect was to cripple the UK.
1
More proof that the Republican party put an unprepared, inexperienced blowhard of a man in the White House who even his right-wing advisors believe is so unpredictable and irresponsible that they have to work around him to save NATO from his intemperate machinations.
I hope the party pays a high price in November for the reprehensible act of nominating this boy tyrant to the highest office in the land. History will be very unkind, and indeed, this might mark another nail in the coffin of the GOP. Much deserved.
11
A sad commentary. We need to baby out president! And now we find that there of his millionaire pals are running the VA, sotto voce. Where are the Republicans senators hiding this week? Maybe Rudy can be their shill as well.
8
So this is where we are in the age of Trump: in order to take a step toward checking Russian aggression in Europe, our allies and our top government officials must plan and act behind the back of the president. If only Congress would show as much courage as our allies in defying Trump's petulant wishes.
8
When you must protect the nation’s integrity from the wild impulses of its leader, that says a lot about the current state of affairs in America. Of course, Trump is better left in the dark, and the same goes for his base. In 2020, perhaps we’ll graduate to a president who can act responsibly.
5
Who could ever believe that John Bolton would be more reasonable than the president.
5
I doubt Bolton really is more reasonable...his goals may be different though
Really, he is so unfit that they have to run the government behind his back?
5
Trump will be tweeting in a rage about this report fairly soon, I expect. Three, two, one...
5
We keep reading about how unpredictable Trump is, but I think this is a misnomer. In a way, he is the simplest and most predictable president we have ever had. He has a single driving impulse, which is what will further the glory of Trump. Anyone who flatters him is a good guy, and anyone who questions him is bad. Anything that makes his loyal subjects cheer him is a good course of action. He is not a leader but a follower of what plays well on Fox. It’s all pretty simple and pretty tragic.
14
Look for Bolton to be shown the door. Soon.
1
I think it is important to note that it is no longer a matter of apathy for Trump. Instead, it is pure, unadulerated, unregulated, undiffused antipathy towards everything related to having a stable, self-sustaining government—let alone one with healthy international relations. Every day this administration seems to drive us deeper and deeper into a slough of despond.
November cannot come soon enough, though I fear we are past the point of reconciliation.
4
How much more does America need to see and hear from this megalomaniac-imbecilic-narcissistic problem child of a president before they do the right thing and remove him?
4
Bolton is in his dream job right now. He knows exactly how to handle a stable genius.
2
Republicans, wouldn't it just be easier to govern with a normal person instead of a doddering fool that must be swept up after and pampered like a brainless incompetent? How long, I wonder will you cling to this 72 year old infant before you realize that he has sold you out and destroyed your political party for his own aggrandizement?
4
So Paul Ryan tells us we have no idea of the disasters he has saved us from (in reference to Pres. Trump). And now we hear that Bolton saved the NATO agreement from Trump's temper tantrum.
Yet the people around Trump are STILL choosing their own power and their political party rather than speaking truthfully to the electorate.
How long do they think they can keep adding bandaids? This is upholding their oaths of office.....Rather than telling the nation our president is unfit, doing their mandated oversight and repairing the damage rather than piling bandaids onto bandaids.
“The president’s national security team did a good job of salvaging a minimally successful outcome." And this was a GOOD outcome, we really don't want to even imagine how bad Trump can be.
7
This just seems like a cheap shot. It’s not news! The piece just antagonizes the head idiot and places his handlers, who may occasionally do something good for the country by keeping him from doing more damage, in jeopardy for doing so. I think we should avoid publishing such pieces because they are counter productive.
1
The days of John Bolton are numbered. Showing that Bolton has played Trump for a fool will start Trump hating him with a the brightness of a white hot nova.
5
Trump kicks those who would let him, while being slobbering and subservient to those who wouldn't. I had a demented grandad who did exactly the same.
If the man does not meld with the Office and the Office the man, then there is no reason for senior officials to any longer hide it, for there is no Office at all, just a brittle filament, a memory of what it once was and what it should be. Trump does not fulfill his role as president so stop trying to hide the fact.
Like the book says: He's an apprentice and always will be. Ironic that he even coined the term for himself.
454
@James Devlin I'm a never-trumper but we need to look at what happened here and admit the trump admin achieved some goals which unquestionably strengthen NATO. Trump's unpredictability and general obnoxiousness got the sclerotic Europeans to actually do what we wanted them to do. And NATO will be better prepared to face threats because of it.
This was a version of mom telling the kids to get their homework done before dad comes home and gets angry.
And bottom line was that it worked.
1
@James DevlinTrump actually thinks he made up that word along with "priming the pump" and many other common expressions. Many people don't know that.
Sad.
Best to keep Trump out of the loop so he can't muck up important alliances. Again, it sounds like Tillerson was right in his description of Trump as a moron. The more Trump is glued to Fox cheer leading, the better for the US and NATO. Why is Paul Ryan quitting? Trump. Life is too short to deal with a nut case. The US and the world are complex, whereas Trump is a simpleton. The Trump collapse nears.
2
Every one of these disloyal fools should be fired.
Trump sets foreign policy. NATO was overdue for a stiff wake up call.
1
Really Chris? You prefer Trump’s foreign policy over Mattis’? That’s rich.
2
Good fir Bolton. Even Crazy is too crazy for him. Jesus Mary Joseph.
We need NATO. If we don’t get with them on the environment also we will see war over food and water
2
And to think I was worried about Bolton brining about the end of the world. Now I wonder how long he's going to last if he does things behind Trump's back.
2
Trump has to go. His Administration works behind his back to get important business accomplished? An obviously unfit man to be President, and it's time for the constituted mechanisms of government - and voters, most importantly - to begin the lawful processes of removing him.
4
One decency point scored for Bolton. I guess that puts him finally on the board. The irony is hard to miss, though.
5
We should be thankful that a tough, pragmatic man like John Bolton was in such a key position to prevent the president from pulling another "Biff" moment out of whatever passes for historical memory and perspective found between pursed lips and Le comb-over l'orange.
What other pretzel-like twists and turns will be required of Bolton, Nicky Haley and others to continue a semblance of leadership in the Trump era is anyone's guess. Certainly no one can expect even a brief appearance of putting the country ahead of personal gain down Mitch McConnell lane, or the application of what might be termed the Brooklyn Doctrine, "Enough, already" where Trump is in play, but with "walk it like they talk it" responsible individuals like Bolton in key positions, we've got a shot.
From what I've read, the president desperately tried to please his father and sadly never could. That's a slam on the Dad and not The Donald, but I don't think successfully miming "a really silly Benito Mussolini", is the answer, either.
2
Trump (chain migration) hypocrisy on display.
1
It's like the bull in a china shop, except in this case the china is carefully moved out of the way of the highly uninformed raging obnoxious bull, over and over.
5
It's a very sad state of affairs when the POTUS is always the least intelligent person in the room.
12
But not the least diabolical. He is getting played by Pence.
1
Ok. Now, how about the Republicans in Congress save America from Trump's antipathy towards the U.S. Constitution?
6
When John Bolton is the adult in the room, we are in serious trouble.
6
I’m thinking… What if we had a president who stayed up at night doing his homework rather than laying in bed watching Fox News? Who actually would prepare for a summit or meetings with world leaders, instead of barging in and spouting out whatever thoughts that come into a mind befouled by decades of personal resentment and grievance. A president who actually thought through both sides of issues (pro and counter) before bullying his counterparts towards adopting one side or the other. Or, better yet, be willing to delay difficult decisions on positions until either more facts or consensus develops?
What if we had a President who was a leader on the world stage rather than an embarrassment. Who actually put Americal first instead of himself?
In normal circumstances, I’m for a strong defense with levels of funding commensurate with the threat. In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have to rely on a defense secretary nicknamed “General Mad Dog” to keep the world safe from a childish, mercurial president who views the military as his personal toy chest and our allies friends one day and enemies or foes the next.
This remarkable article reveals valuable confirmation of what I’ve always thought goes on inside this administration. My fear is that once the President reads it, he’ll become enraged and further isolate himself from the remaining sane influences that surround him.
7
Omg-- I hafta thank John Boulton for something?!
Whoa -- never thought I'd see that day....
Way to go, John!
Keep up the good work!
And don't tell the Prez!
(sometimes it's just better to ask for
forgiveness than it is to get permission.)
Just don't blow up any Countries!!
Please?
3
The story demonstrates that Donald Trump doesn't have the necessary leadership, character and management skills to be the US President. Instead, he is managed by his advisers and cabinet.
That is not what the Constitution designed for.
4
I don't understand: how long can we go on, as a nation, when the "administration" has to protect us from the President? I know it won't happen now, but was there not a time in the past when Congress would have taken action to stop this insanity.
5
Just extraordinary.
I never liked John Bolton and believed he represented the worst of America, especially last decade. But now I’m stunned to discover that I’m actually glad he was where he was at the right time. Just incredible that Trump makes Bolton look like a savvy, level-headed genius who may have just saved the West...this time.
8
I could kind of have wished this hadn't gotten out. I'm just going to encourage people to call it fake news. Trump is too stable a genius, has too great a brain, for him to be played like this.
1
Never thought I say this, but, thank you Mr. Bolton.
1
As if we needed more evidence Trump is incompetent. Any self-respecting actual conservative would actually vote democrat down the line in order to rescue the country. Let's please contain the crazy man in the white house, slam the door on the white narionalists, and gi back to policy debates on the proper role of government. The only way to this path is Trump's abject failure in the midterms and 2020.
As a suburbian who once voted accross
party lines, the Republican party has pretty much lost me for good. What a bunch of cowardly sycophants the GOP is. Hey Lyndsay, is anybody home over there? I guess not.
8
I can't believe I'm actually feeling a bit relieved. Who knows? We may get out of this with our skins.
If we all can keep Trump thinking we think he is responsible for everything good thing that happens, we may be "home free."
Trump doesn't care what happens, as long as we call him a "winner" (and he makes some money),
It would be wonderful if the "adults" from both parties can quietly work together to keep the USA whole until Trump is gone. I'd even let him "cheat" us out of a couple of billion through emollients.
Lets get him out on the campaign trail every week until 2020, regardless of the results in November.
I really don't care what happens to Trump and his family. The USA must come first!
5
This is no way to run a country, hiding agreements from the Commander in Chief because he's too fickle, unprincipled, duplicitous, and corrupt. Good lord. John Bolton has become the arbiter of rationality?
5
Trump's reaction when he gets this story and finds his minions undercut him will be interesting to watch.
Tweetstorm expected!
4
Clearly, Trump’s people recognize he is not right in the head. This just gets scarier and scarier.
4
I mean, maybe you shouldn’t have reported this. If we want this type of work to continue
8
So now we know that Bolton realizes that Trump is a lunatic who doesn't have a clue and as a result, Bolton and Pompeo went around Trump to preserve the NATO alliance by getting all of the important work out of the way before the unhinged Trump made a fool of himself at the NATO breakfast and subsequent summit.
Welcome to the United States were a deranged old man is posing as president.
7
Trolled again.
The Times just happens to find a successful agreement that the bureaucrats made.
And Trump had nothing to do with it?
That bridge in Brooklyn still for sale?
2
I'm guessing folks think Bolton's actions were a good thing.
If so, why are you broadcasting it so He Who Shall Not Be Named will know?
2
John Bolton, the generals and Trump's Mar A Lago crony cabal cabinet are running the country while Pence and Trump play space invaders. Danger Will Robinson. Danger..
2
NATO. Nobody Ask Trump's Opinion.
4
A spoiled and incompetent President leaving behind him a mess while wise officials patiently and silently have to clean up after him. Trump has transformed the prestigious White House in a Wild House. Incredible but true.
3
Relative to Trump's convoluted behavior and bizarre
actions,Bolton is a breath of fresh air even though it's
coming from a polluted environment which is the White House.
His ignorance of issues is toxic and a danger to our democratic
institutions.
1
I don't understand the intricacies of international diplomacy, but I understand what can happen when a leader is unable to lead; consequently, I find this report of the president's leadership being relegated to these cabinet members profoundly disconcerting.
6
What Trump would see in this is success, that Trump's threats to go ballistic worked, used by his advisers to push through an "agreement" on their terms they might not have gotten otherwise in those terms or so quickly.
It is his style. He says so often. They were played, or he likely thinks so.
It only encourages him to do more of the same.
11
In response to this story, Mr. Trump will proclaim that the "Four 30s" was all his idea, and he got it done by taking a tough stance with our NATO allies. It's all part of the Art of the Deal.
And his supporters will believe him.
53
I’m less concerned about Trump than I used to be. He’s making himself irrelevant to all but his base, he can’t start a war, the resistance can bait him and distract him, to the extent that nothing gets done for the next 2 years, except for the SC nomination. His personal behavior is what it is, and won’t change. Watch what he does and ignore what he says, Foreign leaders see him for what he is. I’ll settle for that.
1
Meanwhile, the NYTimes has given a platform to Christopher Buskirk of American Greatness, a waver of provocations. Like Qanon, Alex Jones, and all the devils from troll hell, they label lies truth and truth lies.
It is indeed treachery. High treason, in truth.
19
I hope voters are taking stock of just how far our constitution keeps democracy at bay, in many ways it took Trump for us to see.
I hope voters come to the realization that divide and conquer politics, whether gender, race, class, or the intersection of all three, only works against those who are rules.
I hope that voters become so disgusted, as we learn more, that they will keep legislators on notice to do away with money in politics from Congress to the state houses and the White House, no matter how long it takes.
So much has been going in darkness. So much more to discover about the madman in charge and the Koch minions who serve under him.
---
What Trump Did While We Weren't Looking
https://www.rimaregas.com/2018/08/07/greed-malfeasance-never-sleep-blog4...
41
Trump’s animosity towards NATO is bizarre. What may have NATO done to anger him? Did they have wild parties in his resorts that set him back millions? Did they say that Hillary won the popular vote in 2016? Did they call his supporters knuckle dragging fools? No, they did nothing to harm nor to disparage Trump. They are foils for his demagoguery is all. Trump talks tough to people who will take it and say nothing. His base thinks that confident and decisive leaders act that way and Trump aims to please. Anyway, when Trump finishes his time in office he will be doing lots of business in Russia and he wants to impress Putin so he will be welcome there.
422
He's doing this for the same reason that he does everything else: because Putin has paid him to do it. Please Mr. Mueller, work fast!
1
@Casual Observer
The leaders of all the other countries are smarter than him and overtly or secretly despise him. To him they are like the Manhattan real estate developers that looked down on him (for good reason) when he made his move from Queens to Manhattan in the 1980's.
Grievance is what makes piggy run.
1
@Casual Observer. It's not bizarre or even hard to figure out once you understand that Donald J Trump is a Russian operative and plant. He's not serving the interests of America but rather Russia. His whole foreign "policy" stance is almost a defacto tribute to Russian interests. I don't know why this is so hard to figure out. We have a frightened, thin skinned criminal and traitor whose decades of criminality with Russia oligarchs (which is the Kremlin) have lead him to be one of the most compromised creatures to occupy the Whitehouse. He's serving Russia.
The Americans are being kept in the dark regarding many foreign policy initiatives.We did not know the details of this NATO deal until this story broke.We still do not know what Putin and Trump agreed to or what consequential conversations happened with Mr.Kim.Foreign policy is not a secret pact- it involves American lives and welfare and we should know what action has been promised .Foreign policy surprises are nasty.Pompeo's State Department needs to be more forthcoming.
8
I met John Bolton once or twice when he was associated with the AEI many years ago. He made me felt as a good member for a conservative think tank and I did not anticipate that he will be nominated by President George W. Bush as our Ambassador to the UN. He always considered as a controversial figure in American political circle. But somehow after he was appointed as Trump's NSC advisor he has been less vocal but more normal in working style as Trump's brain trust for national security. He is much more moderated now than many years ago, Certainly he is a much better and more professional than Susan Rice. She made ne felt as a phony. Maybe aging make difference? I watched him on TV a few time but he is a different Bolton, a scholarly Bolton. After all he is a well-educated person than many other White House aides. So I am not surprised that he defused the NATO burning issue recently.
2
Well, let’s not get carried away. It just means that anyone at this point is smarter than Trump.
3
I guess this is what Trump wanted all along. Or perhaps more accurately this is his management style. Make a bunch of contradictory statements, get everyone in a tizzy, sit back and let other people do the actual work. No need for him to know the details. As far as Trump is concerned he has done his bit which is to get people moving in the right direction. I don't think Trump actually gets people moving in the right direction but he thinks he does.
6
@Eric F
I think you're giving him too much credit. He didn't plan this - I don't think he has the intellectual capacity to do so. It was done because of his toddler style of behavior and his so far unexplained animosity toward NATO.
1
The end seems to have justified the means, but really.... is the USA really under the thrall of such a wrecking ball President that even an indisputably important NATO alliance could be subject to his whims and erstwhile gut. This is dangerous, unstable and unacceptable. Our nation should be a leader of the free world NOT a containment exercise for an off-the=rails President. This man is not fit to be President. Our country is certainly less safe due to his wild unpredictability and lack of any rational moral compass. Not to mention ignorance of history and apparent admiration for Russia, Putin and other oligarchs. This is not what democracy is all about folks.
75
There is no trust in Trump no matter what he signs or says so; you believe the allies will put their life and faith in this man, really? Russia is a real threat to EU and Canada; we will have to stop relying on Pax Americana and, in the case of Canada, reinforce our northern border. This being said it should imply closer economic links to EU; the free trade agreement recently put in place and the Canadian willingness to care for environmental matters and other common subjects like money laundering, democratic rights, healthcare , education accessibility and social justice should facilitate this new path.
8
So Bolton is the adult is the administration, the voice of reason? Beyond sad, that is scary.
21
Have no use for Trump. I think every mean possible ought to be used to remove him from office.
But this whole thing smells of a coup. We ought to think long and hard before we decide if this is the way we want to deal with this menace.
5
Give Trump some credit.
If bureaucrats want to kick the can and require decisions to climb the chain of command, they shouldn't expect them to be 100%.
1
This demonstrates the degree to which the Hawks in our government to preserve an alliance which is nothing but a way to ensure a constant spending of US dollars on the military as opposed to the people.
We DO NOT need NATO. It has outlived its usefulness. The great land wars of the past will never happen again. The new warfare is that in space with cyber espionage taking the lead. The ability to shut down a country's electrical grid is more powerful than a repeat of D-Day.
The Pentagon adores NATO as it is the way that it bleeds the nation to pay for new "toys" which will never really be used but will sit gathering dusty in some warehouse.
Get rid of NATO, but the defense budget, reduce the size of the various services and spend that money on the AMerican people
10
@ judyweller
Cut the bloated defense budget, yes. But get rid of NATO? No. Don't even think about it.
1
We needed NATO in 2001 and it answered the call.
3
You are wrong. The last war the USA won on its OWN was the war for its independence.
2
So, wait, in a matter of international diplomacy I’m supposed to be grateful that _John Bolton_ is handling things?
We are in terrible trouble.
15
To 99% of the commenters: this article is only an INTERPRETATION, not an actual fact of what went on leading up to the NATO meeting.
Makes good reading, but nobody should take it at face value.
5
What does it say about the security and well-being of our nation when a really, really, truly volatile and scary dude like John Bolton is so concerned about the volatility and mercurial nature of his Commander-in-Chief--The PRESIDENT!!!--that he must go behind the president's back in order to preserve a key alliance that is critical to the security of our allies all across the globe? Exactly WHEN has our country EVER been in greater danger at the hands of a single man?
One keeps wondering if there is ANYthing--anything at all--that will move the Republican Congress to act to rid us of this menace, once and for all. The greed and lust for power inherent in their, IMHO, treasonous inaction is absolutely flabbergasting. Not an honorable public servant among them. Not. A. One.
21
So by Trump playing bad cop his aides were able to get a better deal for America.
Results!
7
@William Rodham
Ah, were only Trump that smart. Sadly, he has proven that he isn't.
More accurately, by being stupid and ignorant and thus dangerous, things got done.
@William Rodham it makes Trump look flaccid and weak. That's the "result" of being flaccid and weak.
2
Well, this spin is all very nice, and maybe the substance IS there, but when Trump reads this (or has one of his hawks summarise it for him, since he has major ADHD and sheer ignorance) he will go mad again. I also don't trust either Bolton or Pompeo to tell the truth. We shall see.
22
@Michael We know we're in trouble when even John Bolton appears reasonable in comparison.
1
Why dosn't Congress just put an end to this presidency already?
26
I never imagined in a thousand years I'd be hanging hope on the "sound reasoning", such as it is, of John Bolton. It's all relative I suppose.
38
It's happened before. President Wilson, his wife,Col. House. But it's a frightful situation. We can't expect adults to be around him all the time. HIs cult followers will of course stay with him. But dare we hope that there are many others who are having, at long last, buyer's remorse?
5
Sounds like they wanted to lose his " winning" streaks.
4
Trump's ignorance and secret agenda to damage and degrade the democratic institutions of America, which reflects what Putin wants, is being "guarded" by public servants who receive their pay from taxpayers taxes.
Now that is new in the political history of America?
19
So now even the True Believers really don't believe anymore. When Bolton is the epitome of calm and reason in foreign affairs I don't see any place good this leads us. It's not just a swamp. It's a psychotic swamp, where nothing is real.
48
I don't want a president who needs to be handled like a two year old. Congress, do your job!
109
Tiny hands, smashing all within their reach, just to feed an insatiable ego. Past time to impeach this reckless enemy of the State.
15
Good job by Bolton. However, after Trump is told about this deception, Bolton's days are numbered. My prediction is that Bolton won't be celebrating Thanksgiving turkey with dotard Donald at the Whitehouse.
6
It seems that it is ever the case in democratic government - at every level and in every sphere - that the staff rules, really.
Those pesky electeds, carreening about, breaking stuff, proclaiming off their ignorance will be gone soon enough anyway.
2
NATO will still be front and center after the current chaotic leadership has long gone the way of the dodo bird. It just plain strange the way Trump over cooks everything and his State Dept continually works behind his back. Is Trump unaware of the dichotomy? It appears that way. Trump is a bigger fool than we give him credit for.
7
It would be interesting to see how Donald reacts to this article. The White House babysitting corps will probably make sure he never sees it.
27
You know we are in trouble when "the adult in the room" is named John Bolton. I never thought I'd be glad about ANYTHING he's ever said or done, but this certainly is an exception.
84
@Dadof2 Look through not only Bolton’s official policy history, but also the Fox News interviews and commentary he’s ever contributed. If you can stomach it without gagging or vomiting blood, it is a terrifying minefield of ignorance, discord, and warmongering. That he should be the voice of reason to shield NATO from Trump is a terrifying reality, indeed.
4
@Exhibit-A You are 100% correct and I AM aware of all that. He is the epitome of a chicken hawk: bravely willing to send OTHER peoples' daughters and sons to die for his hare-brained fact-free schemes. Hence my comment.
Doesn't Trump realize how embarrassing this is? That his senior officials have to hide an important agreement from him for fears that he, in his ignorance, will blow it up?
702
@cort It would appear that he is incapable of being embarrassed about embarrassing things. He is upset often by perceived slights, but does not know when he has truly misspoken or misstepped. Because he is a fool.
1
@cort 45 doesn't read; the information is safe. If he doesn't mind having Rudy say that he can't tell the truth, hence he can't speak to Mueller, he should be fine with John Bolton working feverishly ahead of the summit to protect NATO.
I never thought I'd ever say this, but thank you, Mr. Bolton, for protecting our allies from our renegade president.
@cort Do you really think Trump has ANY concept of embarrassment? Seriously? Lack of self-reflection may be his only skill.
Even the far rightists Bolton and Pompeo think Trump is a bridge too far. But just like Republicans in Congress, when they get what's on their wish list, no matter how bad it is for the country as a whole, they will cave.
Vote!
They really don't care. Do U?
23
@Susan Anderson
Vote, indeed!
After listening to Devin Nunes, one wonders how many like him fill the Halls of Congress...
https://www.rimaregas.com/2018/08/07/greed-malfeasance-never-sleep-blog4...
9
@Rima Regas The rot goes deep, I fear.
@Rima Regas - Indeed. Thanks.
I was struck by some reactions to Betsey DeVos's latest kneecapping of for-profit college victims.
"I swear, these people wake up every morning and go, "Hmmm... how can I f**k over a few million people to line my pockets even further TODAY?""
Here's the material: "DeVos has officially proposed rescinding the “Gainful Employment” regulation, which targeted for-profit colleges that graduated students with overwhelming debt and poor job prospects. Read the notification here: https://t.co/HJoPivZ1NM "
from here: https://twitter.com/EricaLG/status/1027900755230056448
The GOP has learned, since at least Reagan, that the “President” has only to campaign and win a voting bloc. TV and movie stars, or a guy to have a beer with. Policies are done by unelected others. This is the best the Republican Party can offer to America and the world. Our leader will do rallies and tweets. We’ll do the tax cuts and deregulation. This is all on our neighbors.
10
It's frightening that the fate of our nation and it's relationship with its allies has to rely on an administrative work-around to protect a relationship that we created and is critical to the health, and even survival, of the western world and its values.
82
@PJC468 If NATO is so critical why don't the deadbeat Europeans pay their fair share?
His advisors are basically babysitting this toddler/man. His lack of emotional maturity, intelligence and impulse control is at a 3-4 year old level and this is incredibly dangerous.
85
AmI missing something ? It seems like the US got want it wanted and put those wishy-washy European nations on the spot. Just how was this a bad deal for the US ? NATO is basically the US - with contributions form the UK, Germany , Italy and France - the other countries really minimal contribution. Just because we put other countries nose's out of joint doesn't mean that's a bad thing.
Degaulle pulled France out of NATO (most of it) in 1966 - can we see what the NYTimes thought about that ? I guess it wasn't the end of world as mentioned above
4
@Steve
You missed the entire point of the story
We got what we wanted BECAUSE staff kept Trump out of it.
They have to work around the idiot to get what America needs!
2
@Steve
What you are missing is that US would have got even more if all on our side were pulling in the same direction.
I guess he had a lot of constructive input which they did not like.
5
@N.B.
Oops, I think you meant,
“I guess he had a lot destructive input which they did not like.”
We all know, and I’m sure you’ll agree, that a man who doesn’t read, doesn’t study, has a short attention span, can’t be given more than one page of text to consider at a time, needs big graphs and pictures to make sense of any subject, and had ZERO experience in military and national security affairs before he entered office wouldn’t have any clue as to what would be constructive to NATO.
14
@left coast finch
I meant ‘constructive’ ;-)
"The usual infighting over the summit agreement had to be stopped". And it was. How ironic that despite Trumps constant interference in such important matters, it resulted in an agreement being quickly reached and signed. I still can't tell if
Trump is a clown or a genius and who is really being played.
9
Who is running this government anyway? Now we need to be protected FROM our president ? This is getting beyond ridiculously scary. Trump is unqualified for this job. When will Congress finally protect us and do their job?
41
@Christine Healey
Congress IS doing its job; not the President's job as you request. The Legislative and Executive branches MUST do different things, which I am certain you already know. If Trump does nothing but serve as a figurehead while the government pros do their jobs, good things WILL get done. Mattis, Bolton and Pompeo did an admirable job negotiating an effective plan and getting it signed. If Trump did nothing but bluster and brag and stay out of the way, that is all America needed.
1
You know the situation is very bad when the president’s closest advisors are working “behind” his back (so to speak) such an important agreement between nations/leaders that the current president is to be kept out of for safety reasons (of the world).
17
So that's what Erasmus meant when he stated: "In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."
Thanks to Bolton, a one-eyed man. That's one eye more than the other Republicans have.
20
I've been thinking that if we could just Work around 45 it would be better than impeachment. Not that i'm against impeachment but a work around might be a lot less messy if you know what I mean. Looks like it's already happening with NATO.
11
It's so laughable to hear the Europeans described as allies. They are DEPENDENTS. Since WWI (though NATO is not that old) it's been a century of a one way flow of lives and money from the US to Europe. Time for the Europeans to start pulling their own weight.
4
@Reader In Wash, DC I am a former UK citizen, now a US one. British soldiers died in NATO operations and as allies of the USA. Shame on you. My father fought alongside Yanks in North Africa and Italy in WW2. If America wants to be a world power and PROJECT power it can only effectively do that through alliances.
17
@Reader In Wash, DC
Well, yes, and before NATO, two World Wars began in Europe. After NATO, zero. I'd call it a good investment.
15
@Reader In Wash, DC
Article 5 stipulating that the Alliance comes to the help of a country under attack was only invoked once in NATO's history. That was after 9/11. NATO troops have been fighting and dying along U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan ever since.
1
This is amazing, but Trump's base will probably never learn of this Trump work around, by Bolton, they would have to read ........something, or anything.
Never thought I would be saying thank goodness for John Bolton.
22
Just change the name - actually, just one word...
If only it were called the North American Trump Organization, he'd grin and give it another tax break every time it's mentioned...
Wouldn't even have to change the stationery...
22
Gee, with a Cabinet like Trump's, who needs Trump?
Perhaps he tires easily after coming down from the personal quarters having watched four hours of morning TV, going to the golf course, calling Hannity, tweeting and then speaking with Giuliani. Surely his attention span is exhausted for the day. Before you know it, it is time to head back upstairs and watch the evening Fox shows and reruns of himself.
43
Good to know there were some adults in the room, this time.
29
just like in Helsinki...oh wait
8
Does one laugh or cry?
This takes the "Peter Principle" and the satirical "Dilbert Principle" to new levels of explaining how incompetent people gain access to
and behave in high positions.
With the "Trump Principle," the person at the top is so outrageously incompetent and dangerously unpredictable that it forces subordinates like Bolton and Pompeo to perform way above what we would normally expect of them, given their personal histories. Sort of a "scared straight" program for senior officials.
89
@Steven Bavaria And yet I understand that Dilbert's creator, Scott Adams, has become a trump supporter.
The world is truly walking on its head.
1
If done not only without but against the president's wishes, then this really amounts to a bloodless coup. How many other day to day things are being done in this fashion, but out the the public's eye? And how many of those are done in ways that are not quite so benign? Time for this horrible clown show to pack up the tents and be shown the city limits.
32
@David But would Pence be much better? It is really hard to tell. At least Trump does not appear to let Messianic Christianity guide his decisions toward Armageddon.
2
His lawyers won’t let him sit with Mueller because they think he’ll lie. His cabinet and advisors act behind his back because they think he’s incapable. How can any rational thinking person support this sorry excuse of a man?
165
They don’t THINK he’ll lie—they know he will. They don’t THINK he’s incapable—they know he is.
1
@Psst
The key word there is "rational". His ardent followers are not, just like the man himself. See? It really is simple.
President Trump has strengthened NATO immeasurably compared to the weakening by benign neglect Obama gave it for 8 years.
3
@bill t Because they realize that when Putin's tanks start rolling west, Trump will order US troops to stand down. Or, rather, Putin will order Trump to order US troops to stand down ... and he'll obey.
3
@bill t and your documentation is? Any specific data points you can cite to support your contention?
5
Doesn’t sound like HE had anything to do with it.
1
The adult day care center at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. continues, but one day, the toddler in chief will escape the caretakers with a box of matches in his hand. It's just a matter of time.
207
That's what the two hour meeting with Putin was. And we still have no idea what the consequences of that will be.
1
Well, I never thought I would live to see the day when I would say, "Good for you, Mr. Bolton et al." It is with a sigh of relief to know that Trump's team is standing up to his ignorant, arbitrary, and ominous stands. We have witnessed our exit from the Paris Climate Agreement while California is burning up and the rest of the west is daily threatened. At the behest of Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia and its allies, we have walked away from the main hold we had over a rogue nation such as Iran. But to ever think of walking away from NATO defies logic. Perhaps, I am wrong, but it has little to do with Trump's weak claims which I will not use up precious space to repeat. However, it has everything to do with Putin's suspicious and firm grasp over this man's every utterance and every action. Trump may owe this ruthless and murderous dictator. But his "IOU" should never be at NATO'S expense.
19
I worked on one of his projects back in the nineties without any direct contact with the man, but his organization's MO was very similar. According to the designer who I reported to, he would make all sorts of erratic statements during design development presentations, many impractical or budget busting types of things. She would be blindsided and be left fumbling for how to respond. Then during a break his associates would pull her aside and explain how after he left the meeting, they would sit down together and sift through the mixed messages to plot a way forward.
The project I was part of was sold off to the partner when he went bust in Atlantic City. Senseless way to run a business, and worse way to attempt to run a country. Having all these underlings franitically busy themselves with damage control behind your back just so you can be the arrogant figurehead? ... inherently unstable; things are breaking while the fixers are overwhelmed.
165
Has Trump created anything except ill-gotten wealth for his American oligarchs?
34
Who knew John Bolton would be the sane one? I guess it's all relative. This is the guy who has expressed nothing but disdain for diplomacy and arms control, preferring instead military solutions to address our troublesome neighbors, including calling for pre-emptive strikes against North Korea and Iran. And while he is a hawk toward Russia, it makes me somewhat nervous when he is the one pushing for a 30-day NATO response time to address Russian aggression. Did he push this communique because he wants to promote peace or because he is itching for war?
230
@Tom I'm glad Bolton supported the communique, but he didn't come up with the 30/30/30 initiative. It's a clear continuity of the effort, led by the US, to re-learn how to defend Europe against a very aggressive Russian foreign policy. I would argue that being ready to defend yourself within 30 days is a VERY modest step (you can discuss separately why security in Europe deteriorated to the point where this is an aspiration rather than a steady state) and contributes to war prevention, not initiation.
No, the 30 day push is because it takes a greater resource commitment to have ready units than it takes to have theoretical units that on paper are "ready to be in the process of preparing to get ready to mobilize". The former, following NATO standards, have to be fleshed out with logistical units, have on hand a minimum number of units of fire, have medical units in place, and also have identified second echelon troops. Figure 1000 combat troops (best case, like a Marine Battalion) for each Battalion and you get 30,000 combat troops to defend the front lines along a border from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Hardly an extravagant number.
Compare the current forces under discussion with the forces fielded by NATO before 1990; as our main adversary, Russia, has redeveloped significant new combat capabilities, NATO must redefine and achieve a new defensive model. NATO has always been a defensive alliance.
@Tom
Interesting how one's ideology becomes pragmatic when the fate of the world is literally in your hands.
As an Estonian-American with deep roots and interest in the Baltic countries and the EU, I thank you for your efforts.
25
“allies pledged to build up their militaries and provide 30 mechanized battalions, 30 air squadrons and 30 combat vessels, all ready to use in 30 days or less, by 2020 — a force to quickly respond to any attack on an alliance member”.
Does anyone believe the “the most substantive” agreement that the alliance had put out in years would have occurred absent president Trump’s calculated ultimatums? For the first time in my memory NATO members have acknowledged THEIR responsibility for THEIR defense. One can only hope that the “Senior American national security officials” responsible for fast tracking the agreement hold their feet to the fire until their pledges become reality.
1
More evidence to undermine the weight that should be attached to any of trumps statements. He is a figurehead rather than the operator, as what he says (pull out of NATO) is not what he or white house policy means. This reflects a broad legal argument that Giuliana and the legal team will use to dig trump out of any case put forward by Muller. Essentially that trumps words / tweets should be taken as the ramblings of an individual, and not presidential policy.
So Trump's top advisers had to stop him from stopping the strengthening of NATO defenses against an expansionist Russia. In other words, they prevented him from engaging yet again in a dereliction of duty that weakens the United States and strengthens an adversary.
Forget about the Mueller investigation for the moment. Regardless of its findings, Trump should be impeached for everything he is doing and failing to do as commander in chief.
14
I'm not certain that this "working behind the president" is atypical. IT may be fairly common and it may be that it was with the president's knowledge.
2
There is a new world order developing and it goes beyond boundaries on a map, beyond treaties and beyond NATO. It is no longer an east versus west configuration, because it is based in decimal points that move in nanoseconds among bank accounts.
The Oligarchs surround the Russian Czar (Putin) and they are controlling the flow of that money. They now seem to have control of the American President that at every turn is making those Oligarchs' influence greater and greater.
If all of the NATO countries are suddenly forced to spend percentages and billions more of their budgets on military spending, then that is money that is being taken away from their social programs - the backbone of many of the Socialist governments.
They then lose power which directly props up the right in those countries. Nationalism rises as a result, since there is now less money, and the blame for it is pushed on ''other'',
All part of the neocon plan.
6
Well, if I didn't think Trump's behavior stems from a highly suspect affinity for, or obligation to, Russia, I'd say this was a clear sign that he should undergo an assessment by an independent mental health professional. When your own senior staff can't trust you to be rational, and go to some lengths to keep decisions outside your reach, how is that a different situation than having a president with, say, Alzheimer's?
Either way, Russia affinity or mental health, it's not a good situation, and apparently his own staff knows it.
23
I hope people appreciate the full import of this story. A group of very conservative, very doctrinaire, hard-line foreign policy Republicans quite literally felt the need to HIDE the substance of a CRITICAL NATO agreement from Trump because they were afraid of how he would react. Let that truly sink in and then let it sink in some more.
51
'...the efforts are a sign of the lengths to which the president’s top advisers will go to protect a key and longstanding international alliance from Mr. Trump’s unpredictable antipathy.'
Correction: Trump's antipathy to NATO is ENTIRELY predictable. If you want to know his attitude toward any issue, just look at Putin's. It's invariably a mirror image
7
Love it. Working behind the back of our great leader to, basically, prevent him from doing what he does so well: create chaos and uncertainty.
I never thought I would see the day when I was rooting for John Bolton.
Gives one an idea of how extensive the crazy in this admin has been and continues to be.
10
I honestly never expected that John Bolton would be a positive influence on foreign affairs. And yet, at least on this occasion, he appears to be less destructive than president DJ Trump.
Not that this is difficult, of course.
6
Although nestled rather quietly next to a large caricature of Paul Ryan, is this not a blockbuster of a story?
While I have no use for Trump or most members of his Cabinet - and especially John Bolton - if these events truly occurred without Trump's knowledge and he first hears of them here, the "stable genius" is likely to blow his loose-fitting cork, or so it seems to me.
Given his volatility and impetuosity, and loyalty being everything to him (even if it's a one-way street as he's shown time and again), I have to wonder if Pompeo, Mattis, Bolton et al were drafting their notes atop a copy of the 25th Amendment.
8
"The new agreement has given American national security officials the ability to assure the public, and skittish allies, that the country’s commitment to the alliance remains intact — no matter any anti-NATO tweets or interviews or statements from Mr. Trump."
No matter what the so-called president says about ANYTHING, always check with someone competent.
UNTIL something unplanned, unmanageable happens when a REAL president is necessary.
16
I wouldn't call this unpredictable antipathy- he is just the most completely self-serving president we've ever had. No line is too far or too immoral for him to cross to satisfy his own needs. Without seeing his tax returns, we don't know all of his interests and debts - and that's what makes him unpredictable.
12
@common sense advocate
Not only is he self-serving but also self-enriching.
4
Carol from Key West - yes - absolutely!
2
The most interesting part of this story is how officials pulled the wool over our president's eyes and only gave him a broad outline. Others in the White House had to be complicit.
27
Never thought I would ever say This, but good job, Bolton. The fact of the matter is that the child serving as the current POTUS has been downgraded to little more than a figurehead in the eyes of our allies, and while that is terribly sad, it provides a small measure of comfort knowing that the adults in the room are reining in the brat, even if I don't particularly care for their politics and policymaking.
24
A 70-year peace secured by the NATO alliance cannot be felled by President that is largely ignorant of history and heaps praise on some of the attributes of the perpetrators of greatest human tragedy of recent history. To compound his ignorance of history, he willfully discounts NATO’s benefits -namely that it allows the US to project it’s military power and influence to farther than it would otherwise be able, but emphasizes its costs, which would be more if we tried to build this force ourselves (if even possible). I never thought I’d ever cheer John Bolton, but cheers Mr. Bolton.
11
There is a new world order developing and it goes beyond boundaries on a map, beyond treaties and beyond NATO. It is no longer an east versus west configuration, because it is based in decimal points that move in nanoseconds among bank accounts.
The Oligarchs surround the Russian Czar (Putin) and they are controlling the flow of that money. They now seem to have control of the American President that at every turn is making those Oligarchs' influence greater and greater.
If all of the NATO countries are suddenly forced to spend percentages and billions more of their budgets on military spending, then that is money that is being taken away from their social programs - the backbone of many of the Socialist governments.
They then lose power which directly props up the right in those countries. Nationalism rises as a result, since there is now less money, and the blame for it is pushed on ''other'',
All part of the neocon plan.
15
A sad analysis but looks very true.
4
What will be the judgement of history on these high officials who had the option of the 25th Amendment, yet failed to pursue it?
11
The recent announcement of moderate sanctions against Russia for murders committed in Britain was filled with loopholes to make enforcement after the midterms doubtful. The sanctions were a sham to allow Donald Trump to claim that he is tough on Vladimir Putin.
In the case of the behind-the-scenes scurrying by John Bolton and others to save the NATO deal before Trump could destroy it, this is a genuine example of experienced staff serving the nation well.
It shows, of course, how incompetent, deranged and dangerous our current president truly is.
29
There is a new world order developing and it goes beyond boundaries on a map, beyond treaties and beyond NATO. It is no longer an east versus west configuration, because it is based in decimal points that move in nanoseconds among bank accounts.
The Oligarchs surround the Russian Czar (Putin) and they are controlling the flow of that money. They now seem to have control of the American President that at every turn is making those Oligarchs' influence greater and greater.
If all of the NATO countries are suddenly forced to spend percentages and billions more of their budgets on military spending, then that is money that is being taken away from their social programs - the backbone of many of the Socialist governments.
They then lose power which directly props up the right in those countries. Nationalism rises as a result, since there is now less money, and the blame for it is pushed on ''other'',
All part of the neocon plan.
6
Trump is compromised by Russian blackmail.
There is no other possible explanation.
9
I would like to see a lot more ignoring of what Trump says, tweets, and does.
13
And the Trump fans will say: See, that was some brilliant strategy to get things done.
Is this now the new norm - the world hustles around a crazy president?
5
It's good to know that somebody is in charge that is not Trump.
We have a leader who needs to be saved from himself.
12
It is painful comfort to learn that the current President is not actually making policy or implementing his lunatic ramblings. But he still creates so much uncertainty that it will be a miracle if we all survive it. If ever there was more inspiration to vote, I can't think of when. We "liberals" have been coasting in neutral too long, as if content that it will all work out in the end. Make no mistake, we let this happen.
5
Interesting that those around Trump would use the fact that their president doesn't read and doesn't care about details to get around him in such an important matter. Trump may think he holds the power, but without any engagement with those 'details' he is like a boat adrift at sea and perhaps that is for the best as long as people like Bolton and Mattis remain sane, something I am not sure Bolton at least can maintain.
6
25th Amendment was written for a good reason. This President becomes more incapacitated and incapable of protecting the country every day. I never thought John Bolton might be country's savior. That shows how bad things have gotten
60
Is it possible that U.S. government officials have been notified by U.S. intelligence officials that the president is fully compromised and working for the Russian Federation? With this knowledge about the president-as-mole, are officials tryhing to determine a way to convey this information without having the U.S. and the rest of the world descend into total chaos?
7
I had always assumed that a president with four deferments would lead from behind. What would Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Washington think of this poor excuse for a leader. I shudder at the thought.
32
Close your eyes for a moment...
Imagine that this was happening under a President with a “(D)” after his name.
Imagine the ferocity of the uproar from the GOP, calling for immediate impeachment.
Imagine a United States where Congress upholds it’s Constitutional duty, for the good of the country.
One day, we will all wake up from our current nightmare and thank our lucky stars that we live in a free, democratic society governed by the rule of law. However hopeless this current administration is, one way or the other it will end when voters realize that elections have consequences.
Imagine that.
16
So we are essentially headed by a psychologically unfit man whose advisors are attempting to compensate in public affairs? This certainly sounds like solid grounds for removal from office under constitutional provisions. But it turns out that those provisions aren't worth the ancient paper upon which they're written if the president's from the majority party, doesn't it? Worthless "checks and balances".
32
I'm all for holding this president accountable, but this is one of those "don't need to know" stories that seem designed to make Trump look bad. So some federal employees did their jobs in adverse circumstances (the president's incompetence) and got some good results. They do the work and their boss gets the credit, deserved or undeserved. That's pretty much how it works in every administration and corporation.
This is not right. As far as I know in the last c 100 years we've had appointed staff sidelining the elected president only two times (1) after Wilson's stroke and (2) during Nixon's final weeks when he was walking around talking to portraits and making Kissinger kneel in prayer. Does this mean the people close to Trump think his incapacity rises to equal those two situations?
12
It seems obvious to the rest of us on the outside looking in.
2
And so it's come to this: We must thank John Bolton for saving America and its allies from the wrath of Trump! Such bitter irony. And of course, once Trump gets wind of this, it won't be long before we hear him declaring that "I, and I alone, EVEN BEFORE I arrived in Europe, forced NATO to sign the most substantive agreement that the alliance has EVER put out!" (though he'll probably tweet it with full caps).
13
So a deal is done with NATO, that would seem to be what was important. Too bad it had to be John Bolton who did it though.
2
Can you spell RUSSIA? John Bolton has a long history as a hawk where Russia is concerned. He frequently criticized Obama for being too soft on Putin. I can only imagine how infuriated Bolton feels watching "his" president make foreign policy decisions, such as demanding Russia's entry into NATO, in order to curry favor with Putin.
As long as Bolton has a job, I'm predicting he will do everything in his power to undermine Trump's personal agenda where Russia is concerned.
8
By his incompetence, apathy, and instability, 45 has made himself irrelevant. The job of the presidency has fallen to his cabinet. I am sure he is happy, after all he was very surprised to find out how much work was involved in being the president.
5
NATO is just as important today as it was when established. The purpose of the alliance is far greater than the military component. If anyone wants to go back to the isolationist policies of the post WW I era they would do well to read history.
It is amazing to me that we have a leader who seems to embody the "know nothing party" of the late 19th century. It may make people feel good to rub salt in our allies wounds but it serves no purpose in the long term and it harkens images of the ugly American in the short term.
It is very scary that we have Bolton, Pompeo and Mad Dog Mattis coming across as the mature people in the room.
562
@Kevin Everything is exactly spot on (except Gen Mattis-he's a patriot). NATO is just as relevant today as it was 70 years ago. It's the glue holding the stability of Europe (and the U.S.) together.
I generally agree, except for your disparagement of SecDef Mattis. He is not some crazed caricature of a military madman. His nickname came from an urgent, mission oriented style of command. The Marines are justly proud of their performance under his command in Iraq.
@Kevin. Honestly I can't even figure out why it makes any people feel good to rub salt in our allies wounds. That completely stumps me.
The fact that top administration officials have to work around Trump and behind his back to maintain international stability and to stave off his disastrous decisions shows how morally bankrupt Congress is. They know how dangerous and unstable he is and yet refuse to act either to impeach him or remove him under the 25th Amendment. VOTE in the mid-terms!
226
@J.
What is interesting about Congress is that they supposedly allow Trump to continue unrestrained by any steadying hand because they fear angering his base (and "base" it is in every sense of the word). However, through their inaction they may very well be bringing on the outcome that they fear by disgusting and alienating the Independent and moderate voter (not sure there is more than one) who they also need to win re-election. That is what happens when you try to control the outcome instead on focusing on the process.
Interesting that it took a month for us to learn this, the article didn't say what the source of this news was, but it highlights the importance of the media to help us understand exactly how far the President is willing to go to collude with Russia, and the lengths to which senior officials are going to check him.
Its likely the same thing has happened with the latest sanctions on Russia over the spy poisoning in England. Perhaps a month or a year from now, we'll hear the back story about Trump's resistance to signing this latest sanctions order.
Meanwhile, Trump occasionally talks about how he is "tough on Russia", while it is clear that his senior officials and Congress are "tough on Russia" while he is constantly resisting. He has to constantly remind the Boss Putin of this in their private discussions.
81
@Look Ahead, the article clearly stated the sources: "five senior American and European officials familiar with the discussions who described them on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering the White House."
2
An interesting and understated fact I take from this article is the degree to which policy, both domestic and international, is drafted by non-elected officials. They hold a lot of sway in the nuances of how policy is drafted, implemented, and adhered to.
It is helpful to remember the amount of valuable expertise and wherewithal we lose when career non-partisan federal employees are removed from their positions indiscriminately.
201
Many thanks Arvin and quite correct. Career federal employees represent enormous and valuable corporate memory and practice.
If the voters want a country that is managed for their current benefit and future prosperity, then these employees are the ones to make that happen.
39
@Arvin
This is also the result of this idea that electing inexperienced people rather than politicians is somehow better and smarter. That it will "drain the swamp" or limit the corruption. We have never seen any sign that is true. As we go down the competence scale, the money influence meter is going off the charts.
So it sounds like Trump got what he wanted. The NATO nations agreed to beef up their military capabilities significantly by 2020. This seems a major improvement over what they were actually doing which was to very slowly increase their spending to 2% of GDP. Look at the results nit the process.
7
Actually, what the NATO nations actually agreed to was to continue towards their 2024 goal of military spending of 2% of GDP. Trump, not one for details, left the meeting thinking that they would do so more quickly, but as with all military spending, it is hard to ramp up quickly and there is unlikely to be any concerted move by any of the NATO allies to move more quickly than they already are.
7
No they agreed to 2 percent. As they have always agreed well before Trump. Only Trump came up with an imaginary 4 percent that all the leaders said no one agreed to. More Trump fantasy and lies.
@Al Galli
I'm pretty sure that is the 2%.
1
The most dangerous administration since that terrible administration preceding Lincoln.
62
@Nancy
"What about" that administration that invaded another country because of alleged weapons of mass destruction?
I dare say that the world we live in would be LOTS safer than it is.
5
Worse and much more corrupt. Put Harding just before a major war, and we still aren’t close to this mess.
1
When Bolton is the prudent one in foreign relations, you're in big trouble.
1019
My sentiments exactly!
It shows just how low the bar is under Trump.
7
John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, pushed NATO ambassadors to finish a critical policy document before a meeting last month so President Trump could not reject it.
The efforts are a sign of the lengths to which the president’s top advisers will go to protect the alliance from his unpredictable antipathy.
[ So essentially President Trump is no longer president, foreign policy being taken over by Bolton and Pompeo. Scary as can be. ]
153
@Nancy "Scary as can be", Nancy? ..So you'd actually prefer Trump to be doing foreign and/or defence policy unfettered?!
Maybe you're falling for this "deep state" scaremongering a little too deeply? I found myself breathing a sigh of relief that there remain enough career professionals in & around DC behind the likes of Bolton & Pompeo still to staff these kinds of 'steady-as-she-goes' diplomatic initiatives - let's not forget: this one was hardly avant gard..especially if you compare it with having had to unscramble an anarchic Trumpian alternative!
"Unpredictable antipathy" is not a good trait to have in a head of state. Thank goodness, a few people are trying to protect the world from Trump. It's about time Congress joined the ranks and did their job before all our alliances are stomped to death by the big orange one.
315
So Trump, Hannity and Carlson don't think Montenegro is worth defending. How about the Czech Republic? https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/08/05/world/asia/05reuters-afghanis...
Or maybe it's okay for NATO soldiers to die for the US but not the other way? These are not people who can be trusted,
55
So, they gave DJT a one-page overview indicating that all the marvelous ideas indicated by bullet-points were indeed his? Very, very wonderful!
67
So who exactly is the deep state that Trump rails against, when his own senior national security advisors work essentially behind his back and without his knowledge/direction to create NATO policy that substantively contradicts his stated positions?
64
Thank God for Bolton's deep state!
4
Trump selling out Montenegro by name on Fox was a travesty. He was messaging Putinn that his further interference could proceed without any fear of a united NATO pushback. Horrible!
245
@Dee
Like when Dean Acheson (inadvertently, apparently) in a speech left South Korea out of the list of nations the US would defend back in the 1940's, essentially inviting North Korea and China to invade, resulting in the Korean war.
4
@Dee It was obvious to me too that 'Montenegro' was not a country he mentioned by chance. He probably can't find it on the map. Given what Putin is up to in the Balkans, this is more than worrying.
I can't be the first to point this out but, if Bolton is the voice of reason we are in serious trouble.
160
This is all the more disturbing considering what came next in Helsinki.
438
Trump is a danger to the United States and its allies. So is Bolten. It really says something about how irresponsible Trump is when even an unreasonable war hawk like Bolten can be the sane and conscientious force within the administration that is protecting the world from Trump's irrational impulsiveness.
116
Remember when we learned that Reagan had Alzheimer when he was still in office.........Someone needs to test 45, maybe not for Alzheimer but for something!
70
Thank God for the Shallow State.
49
It would appear that Putin has beat the West once again. It is highly unlikely that Putin would invade any NATO country. However the paranoia in the CIA and the State Department is so high that the 'chicken little' syndrome has permeated all of those sacred walls and halls.
While the NATO nations are being pushed by the US to up their spending to the 2% amount agreed to 20 years ago, Putin sits back and sips a lemonade and chuckles.
Putin is not the idiot that Bolton suggests; the truth is just the opposite. Financially struggling NATO countries now have to redirect funds from foods to guns.
Meanwhile, Putin redirects resources to the subtle forms of warfare. Sanction vs sanction.
12
Oh goody, so now our sons and daughters can die for Montenegro or Estonia. I guess since Bolton knows he’s already going to Hell for Iraq, why not get a ticket to the Express Lane?
Memo to my dear fellow Never-Trumpers: we cannot condemn 45’s obscene Pentagon budget and then applaud Bolton for this.
11
@Charles
Estonian sons and daughters died for us in Afghanistan. Nine, specifically, with 92 injured in Afghanistan. Relative to their population, that would be the equivalent of US losses of 2,250 dead and over 23,000 wounded.
6
@Charles maybe you have a point, but I would ask you how many nato soldiers died for a war you started ? (I'm referring to afghanistan in case you're wondering).
Wow, so, unelected people selected by the president are acting on their own behalf to protect the nation's interests from the president. How do you parse this?
1. Uppity underlings who maybe should be fired for undercutting the authority of the president?
2. Our nation is under assault by its leader and we should follow these guy's example and do whatever we can to save ourselves?
3. Act to promote our personal agendas the ways these guys did, no matter what the president thinks (because he's so involved in making profits as president that he won't notice diplomacy in action)?
I mean this is dysfunction in its highest form (even if it saved NATO), and yet we pretend that, because of our constitution, we shouldn't call this whole administration a bunch of free-agents working on their own, and undercutting our leader's actual desires? Should these guys get fired for their actions? Or maybe it's better to cut off the head of this mess than to keep having the actual (not the tweeted) direction of our country be determined by this rogue's gallery of scallywags.
They should all apologize (even for saving NATO in this way) and resign and take DJT back to his pink marble home on 56th street as soon as possible.
38
@rick Negotiating positions and policy details are always done by "unelected people selected by the president." No head of state has time to spend weeks or months completing an agreement like this. Summits are meant for photo ops and signing ceremonies. Normally, though, they're working within parameters established by the president. But, Trump has no patience for details.
When a president, especially this one, tries to negotiate something on his own we get Singapore.
16
@rick
Please, whenever he goes, send him to Florida. As a NY expat, I can't bear the thought of him returning to NYC. Has he even been there once since Melania moved? Certainly New Yorkers don't want him back.
1
Interesting way to have to do foreign policy. “You better do a deal with us, and quickly, or you’ll have to deal with the idiot.” It might even have worked on this occasion, but as a way to run foreign policy it will, probably sooner than later, end in disaster
173
@John David James if it can hold until next november, we will be fine.
5
@John David James
“You better do a deal with us, and quickly, or you’ll have to deal with the idiot.” sums it up.
And it has scared the freeloading 'partners' enough to finally take their own security seriously. Germany - 4 of 110 fighter jets airworthy, and nowhere close to their 2% commitment - is actually increasing defense spending.
It is inevitable that US will pull back troops from Europe. We cant afford to defend them forever. Savings should go to social programs or to to pay off the debt. My children will not die to defend Montenegro.
Our hero, John Bolton! By hiding a secret NATO agreement with Europe from the president, he saves the day!
44
It should be pointed out that Mr. Bolton is not known for his pragmatism.
1