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Trump told NATO leaders 2% defense spending isn't enough, should be 3%

C

chadskin

Member
After a public showing on May 25 in which Trump refused to endorse NATO’s bedrock collective defense clause and famously shoved the Montenegrin leader out of the way, leaders of the 29-member alliance retired to a closed-door dinner that multiple sources tell Foreign Policy left alliance leaders “appalled.”

Trump had two versions of prepared remarks for the dinner, one that took a traditional tack and one prepared by the more NATO-skeptic advisors, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. “He dumped both of them and improvised,” one source briefed on the dinner told FP.

During the dinner, Trump went off-script to criticize allies again for not spending enough on defense (the United States is one of only five members that meets NATO members’ pledge to spend 2 percent of GDP on defense).

Several sources briefed extensively on the dinner say he said 2 percent wasn’t enough and allies should spend 3 percent of GDP on defense, and he even threatened to cut back U.S. defense spending and have Europeans dole out “back pay” to make up for their low defense spending if they didn’t pony up quickly enough. Two sources say Trump didn’t mention Russia once during the dinner.

“Oh, it was like a total shitshow,” said one source, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to discuss the closed-door dinner.

“The dinner was far worse than the speech,” said a former senior U.S. government official briefed on dinner. “It was a trainwreck. It was awful.”
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http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/06/09...sels-visit-transatlantic-relationship-europe/
 
W

wandering

Banned
Trump had two versions of prepared remarks for the dinner, one that took a traditional tack and one prepared by the more NATO-skeptic advisors, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. ”He dumped both of them and improvised," one source briefed on the dinner told FP.
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S

skullmuffins

Banned
jfc.

and he even threatened to cut back U.S. defense spending and have Europeans dole out ”back pay" to make up for their low defense spending if they didn't pony up quickly enough.
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Pony up to who? Does he still not understand how NATO works?

Repeat after me: NATO is not a freaking mob protection racket.
 
X

Xando

Member
We(Germany) are gonna run out of space to park all these new carriers

Trump had two versions of prepared remarks for the dinner, one that took a traditional tack and one prepared by the more NATO-skeptic advisors, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. ”He dumped both of them and improvised," one source briefed on the dinner told FP.
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This must've been hilarious
 
4

4Tran

Member
skullmuffins said:
jfc.


Dole it out to who? Does he still not understand now NATO works?
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Well, all the NATO powers put their military spending into one big pot, and if the pot isn't big enough, then the US has to make up for the shortfall. Isn't it obvious?

Seriously though, if the unreliability of Trump isn't enough incentive for the EU to start considering alternate military alliances, I'm not sure what will. It's probably all for the best too.

Jisgsaw said:
Serious question: seeing how NATO is vital for Us interests, could Trump's stance actual be the thing that turn Republicans around re. impeachment?
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No. The neocons have no influence any more, and even if they did, the GOP doesn't give a damn about principles any more. It's all about the home team vs. the away team nowadays.
 
S

sturgboski

Member
It's ok, hes new to negotiating, it is his first time and he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Frankly, the other NATO leaders should have explained to him what NATO is, what this defense spending goal is for and also how to negotiate. Really the blame should be on them. - Paul Ryan.
 
G

Game-Biz

Member
Trump had two versions of prepared remarks for the dinner, one that took a traditional tack and one prepared by the more NATO-skeptic advisors, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. “He dumped both of them and improvised,” one source briefed on the dinner told FP.
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Hahaha.
 
J

JonnyDBrit

Member
...The fuck would we be buying and/or paying for in order to increase defence spending 150%, for those already around the 2% of GDP mark?
 
I

Ithil

Member
I think it's quite clear he has no idea what NATO is or what it does. I doubt he even knows what the letters stand for.
 
M

maquiladora

Member
He doesn't even understand what he's talking about as a basic level.

He seems to think that states all chip in money into a giant pot or something. Fucking idiot.
 
E

EGM1966

Member
Yeah let's not bother spending money on the future of our planet or healthcare for our citizens but for goodness sake let's arm ourselves to the teeth instead of saving money increasing global stability and seeking to reduce conflict.

Of course.
 
F0rneus

F0rneus

Tears in the rain
Half of Americans should legitimately be stripped of their right to vote. Your leadership is a fucking embarassment. And a danger to the world.

What the fuck have you done?
 
UberTag

UberTag

Member
Moppeh said:
Can this piece of shit get impeached or die already.

I'm so fucking sick of this shit.
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He's not done embarrassing both himself and the country whose citizens he represents so... 'fraid not.
I bet he has gophers move his balls for him on the golf course so he can pretend he's a far better golfer than he actually is, too.
 
U

ultracal31

You don't get to bring friends.
Ithil said:
I think it's quite clear he has no idea what NATO is or what it does. I doubt he even knows what the letters stand for.
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Ive always maintain that he never understood what those letters stand for.

Heck I wasn't too sure but I double checked on google and researched on my own which I'm pretty sure Ive done more than Trump
 
L

lastplayed

Member
EGM1966 said:
Yeah let's not bother spending money on the future of our planet or healthcare for our citizens but for goodness sake let's arm ourselves to the teeth instead of saving money increasing global stability and seeking to reduce conflict.

Of course.
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Make America Great Again by making everyone else worse™
 
A

azyless

Member
Luxembourg is gonna run out of place to bury all these combat aircrafts they don't have a base for.

Love the part about "back pay" too lol. Dumb dumb over there really thinks NATO is an American tax or something.
 
O

oti

Banned
What are we even supposed to do with all those tanks?

🤔

Maybe we could Airbnb them.

🤔
 
U

ultracal31

You don't get to bring friends.
Oersted said:
A reporter really should ask him
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"I knew you would ask a tough question but you have your opinion on what it stands for and I have my opinion. Of course I know, who wouldn't know? Would be sad if I didn't know but I know but I won't say it cause only losers say it and I definitely know what NAOT stands for."
 
A

azyless

Member
PeakPointMatrix said:
Please tell me this is a real reaction to some garbage Trump is spewing.
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Yes it's from Trump's speech with NATO members a few weeks ago. I think this part was about other members not putting enough money in the pot and costing American taxpayers' money or some other nonsense lol.
 
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