Trump blasts Germany in tense NATO summit start
BRUSSELS – President Donald Trump unleashed his most remarkable broadside yet against a European ally on Wednesday, accusing Germany of being “totally controlled by Russia” and of not meeting its obligations to the NATO alliance.
“Germany, as far I’m concerned, is captive to Russia,” Trump said.
Trump’s extraordinary rhetoric signaled that he would continue his aggressive attitude toward the United States’ closest allies — even as he prepares to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in an effort to improve U.S.-Russian relations.
Speaking to reporters after Trump’s
remarks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel shot back that she would not be lectured about Russian control of Germany, having grown up in the Sovietdominated East Germany.
“I have experienced myself how a part of Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union,” she said, without mentioning Trump by name.
The source of Trump’s ire: German support for a pipeline that would bring Russian natural gas through the Baltic Sea to central Europe, all while Germany spends just 1.24 percent toward the collective defense of NATO allies.
“So we’re supposed to protect Germany, but they’re getting their energy from Russia. Explain that. And it can’t be explained,” he said.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a commercial venture, but the German government has given its approval to the project.
Trump’s verbal attack on Germany came in his first official event in Brussels Wednesday, setting a combative tone for the two-day summit of the alliance in Brussels.
Also at the summit, Trump pressed his recurring complaint that European allies aren’t paying enough toward the common defense of the alliance. A new NATO analysis released Tuesday shows only five of the 29 allies – the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Estonia and Latvia – currently meet the benchmark of 2 percent of gross domestic product.
In fact, Trump told the allies in a closed-door meeting, the minimum contribution ought to be 4 percent, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed. At 3.5 percent, even the United States does not currently meet that mark.
After a face-to-face meeting with Merkel later, Trump said the gas pipeline came up but seemed to shift his tone. “We have a very, very good relationship with the chancellor, we have a tremendous relationship with Germany,” he said.
A stoic Merkel responded, “I am pleased to have this opportunity to be here for this exchange of views.”
Trump’s comments prompted both the House and Senate to introduce nonbinding resolutions affirming U.S. support for the alliance. The Senate resolution passed 97-2.
“I subscribe to the view that we should not be criticizing our president while he is overseas,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. “But let me say a couple things. NATO is indispensable. It’s as important today as it ever has been.”
Democrats called Trump’s insults of Germany an “embarrassment.”
“His behavior this morning is another profoundly disturbing signal that the president is more loyal to President Putin than to our NATO allies,” said a statement from the House and Senate Democratic leaders, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York.