Pence security speech gets cool reception
Leaders are told they must boost military spending
MUNICH — Bearing what he said was a message from President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence told anxious European political and security leaders Saturday that “the United States of America strongly supports NATO and will be unwavering in our commitment to this trans-Atlantic alliance.”
But while offering that assurance to European partners alarmed by Trump’s rise, along with some tough words on Russia and Ukraine, Pence also warned that Europe must increase its military spending in a dangerous world, saying, “As you keep faith with us, under President Trump, we will always keep faith with you.”
The NATO treaty demands not only collective defense but also a vow to “contribute our fair share to our common defense,” Pence, making his first overseas trip as vice presi- dent, said at an annual security conference in Munich.
“That pledge has gone unfulfilled for too many for too long and erodes the very foundation of our alliance,” Pence said.
He echoed an early theme of Trump, who has said he believes that the United States’ allies have taken advantage of U.S. largesse and not paid their fair share.
“Europe’s defense requires your commitment as much as ours,” Pence said.
Anxiety in Europe
NATO allies have promised to reach the goal of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense by 2024, but only five countries meet that figure. Germany, for instance, which has Europe’s largest economy, spends only 1.2 percent of GDP on its military, though it increased spending 8 percent last year.
It is a time of great anxiety in Europe, in no small part because of the rise of Trump, who has brushed aside long-held tenets of U.S. foreign policy.
He has praised Britain’s vote to exit the European Union, questioned the viability of that bloc and the relevance of NATO and expressed admiration for President Vladimir Putin of Russia, while also upending policies and diplomacy on the Middle East, China and Mexico.
‘Make the world better’
Applause for Pence’s speech was thin. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, whospoke before the vice president, argued that increases in military spending must be gradual to be efficient and effective.
Merkel said that spending on other matters — like development aid, education for girls and women, and caring for refugees — also contributes to mutual security, as do stronger multilateral institutions like the European Union and the United Nations, which Trump has criticized.
Europe needs the support of the United States in the face of Islamic terrorism and Russian ambition, Merkel said, promising to continue to spend more to meet NATOgoals.
But she warned against nationalism, without specifically naming Trump’s “America First” philosophy. “Will we be able to continue working well together, or will we all fall back into our individual roles?” she asked. “Let’s make the world better together, and then it will be better for each of us.”
Later in the day, John F. Kelly, the secretary of homeland security, told the conference that Trump, as the White House has indicated, was “contemplating issuing a tighter, more streamlined version” of his controversial executive order barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States.
The arrival of the earlier order was marked by confusion and distress, leaving many travelers stranded overseas.
This time, he said, he would try to ensure that no one was caught in transit.
“If they are in motion from some distant land, when they arrive they will be allowed in,” he said. He said that would apply to green card and visa holders.