Trump hits combative notes in EU
US President praises Johnson and Putin
US President Donald Trump signalled he was ready for a transatlantic brawl as he embarked on a consequential week of international diplomacy. He took aim at vulnerable British Prime Minister Theresa May and suggested that meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin might be easier than talking with Western allies at the two-day Nato summit in Belgium.
Leaders converged on Brussels overnight fearful of what the combative US President might say or do to rupture the liberal world order, with some European diplomats privately predicting calamity.
As he departed Washington, Trump stoked the deep divisions in May’s Government to undermine the leader of America’s closest historic ally before the Nato meeting. Asked if May should remain in power, Trump said, “That’s up to the people,” while also complimenting her top rival, Boris Johnson.
Some of Europe’s counters to Trump, including May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have heavy domestic political baggage of their own, making them vulnerable in negotiations with Trump as they seek to protect the Western alliance from his impulses on defence spending and trade.
Trump has long prized his instincts for taking advantage of an adversary’s weaknesses, and referred to the “turmoil” confronting May in remarks to reporters.
The Prime Minister faces a rebellion from advocates of a hard break from the EU, who say she has been waffling, and is in danger of losing control. Johnson, a potential successor to May, resigned as Foreign Secretary. Trump said: “Boris Johnson is a friend of mine. He’s been very, very nice to me and very supportive. And maybe we’ll speak to him when I get over there. I like Boris Johnson. I’ve always liked him.”
From Brussels, Trump will travel to Britain, and to Helsinki for his teˆte-a`teˆte with Putin. European leaders are as concerned about what concessions he might make to Putin — such as recognising Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine — as they are about the chaos he could create at the summit.
May plans to roll out the red carpet for Trump at a gala supper tomorrow at Blenheim Palace and at a lunch on Saturday at Chequers.
It was a startling gambit for Trump to risk offending his host by showering Johnson with praise while May faces threats of a revolt — even a noconfidence vote — by her own Tories over how she is handling Brexit. “Trump goes after the weak people. He smells who is weak and who is strong, and he gets on well with the strong ones,” said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think-tank.
Trump has tried to spotlight any signs of Merkel’s political troubles, tweeting last month that “the people of Germany are turning against their leadership as migration is rocking the already tenuous Berlin coalition.”
In Brussels, Merkel will defend her decision to raise defence spending more slowly than Trump’s goal and seek to maintain the 35,000 US troops deployed to Germany, which Trump has threatened to pull back. But Merkel has actually benefited at home from Trump’s attacks, since the US President is deeply unpopular among the German electorate, as he is with voters across much of western Europe.