(B2 at NATO Headquarters) US President Donald Trump does not wear his NATO allies in the odor of holiness.
Meeting between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US President Donald Trump (credit: NATO)
All his words, mixing real problems and false information, have a strange smell of propaganda that the Atlantic Alliance heard more from Moscow, revolving around a single catchphrase: bastards of Europeans, all profiteers. Putin's Russia has nothing to do. Trump is doing the dirty job of cleaning up the Alliance, sowing trouble and doubt, like a dirty kid who just wants to be told his four truths and leave. .
The US pays the defense, and the Europeans collect the dividends
From Monday, Donald Trump begins the battle through vengeful tweets, striking his feelings in a double tweet. " The United States spends far more on NATO than any other country. It's not fair and it's not acceptable. While these countries have increased their contributions since I took office, they need to do much more. Germany is at 1%, the United States at 4%”.
The United States is spending far more on NATO than any other Country. This is not fair, nor is it acceptable. While these countries have been increasing their contributions since I took office, they must do much more. Germany is at 1%, the US is at 4%, and NATO benefits.......
- Donald J. Trump (@ realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2018
« And NATO benefits Europe much more than the United States. According to some statistics, the United States pays 90% of NATO, with many countries now close to their 2% commitment. On top of that, the European Union has a trade surplus of $151 million with the United States, [by having] big trade barriers on American goods. [It's no! »
...Europe far more than it does the US By some accounts, the US is paying for 90% of NATO, with many countries nowhere close to their 2% commitment. On top of this the European Union has a Trade Surplus of $151 Million with the US, with big Trade Barriers on US goods. NO!
- Donald J. Trump (@ realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2018
The American taxpayer is paying too much for Europeans
Tuesday, July 10, in the morning, Donald Trump while he says to himself " ready to leave (the USA) for Europe With the same joy as a condemned man announces that he is going to the scaffold, he repeats his formula mixing defense and commercial issues: " the United States spends more than any other country to protect them [the Europeans]. It's not fair to the American taxpayer. And on top of that, we are losing $151 billion in our (foreign) trade with the European Union. Let's raise the tariffs (and the barriers). »
Getting ready to leave for Europe. First meeting - NATO. The US is spending many times more than any other country in order to protect them. Not fair to the US taxpayer. On top of that we lose $151 Billion on Trade with the European Union. Charge us big Tariffs (& Barriers)!
In the evening, President Trump accentuates this idea by emphasizing the late payments of member countries of the Alliance. " Many NATO countries, which we are supposed to defend, are not only short of their current commitment of 2% (which is low), but they are also many years behind in payments that have not not been made. Will they reimburse the United States ? "
Many countries in NATO, which we are expected to defend, are not only short of their current commitment of 2% (which is low), but are also delinquent for many years in payments that have not been made. Will they reimburse the US?
An amalgam that looks more like fake news, unworthy of a sitting president. The 2% target is an objective to be achieved at the level of each national budget. It is not a contribution to the US budget. As for the common budget of the Alliance, if there are delays in payment, it is NATO that suffers. In no case will there be reimbursement to the US budget.
Bastards of Europeans who would rather entertain themselves with football or make a profit with trade than spend on defense
The president arrives in Brussels. Few people to admire his arrival, accompanied by his wife Melania Trump. Everyone follows the France-Belgium match (far more exciting!).
Barely arrived on Belgian soil, Trump aligns the European Union, its farmers, its workers and its companies. " The European Union is preventing our farmers, workers and companies from doing business in Europe (US$151 billion trade deficit), and then they want us to happily defend them through NATO and we paid for it nicely. It does not work ! »
The European Union makes it impossible for our farmers and workers and companies to do business in Europe (US has a $151 Billion trade deficit), and then they want us to happily defend them through NATO, and nicely pay for it. Just doesn't work!
Three hours later, just before going to bed (?), Donald Trump repeats his favorite refrain, but more concisely: " NATO countries must pay MORE, the United States must pay LESS. Very unfair! ».
NATO countries must pay MORE, the United States must pay LESS. Very Unfair!
A rather unreal prose. The US defense budget has other imperatives than the national budgets of other NATO members. The increase in the expenditure of the latter does not in any way automatically mean a reduction in the American defense budget, which would have a harmful consequence for the American economy, jobs and growth.
Germany in the sights at breakfast face to face with Jens Stoltenberg
Wednesday morning, the discussion begins (in a rather classic way) with a private meeting between the American president and the secretary general of NATO. As the cameras roll in what is usually a stuffy atmosphere, Donald Trump attacks head on, with Berlin essentially in the sights: “ we protect Germany, France, ... and a number of these countries create a pipeline with Russia. [...] We have to protect them against Russia, but they pay him billions of dollars. It's not really fair. And the former German chancellor is the chairman of this gas pipeline. Germany will automatically have 70% of its gas controlled by Russia. Tell me: is it right? (...) I think not. (...) And meanwhile, Germany spends barely 1% of its GDP on defense while the USA more than 4%, with a higher GDP ».
We cannot say that Jens Stoltenberg spent the best quarter of an hour in his history at the head of the Alliance. Before Trump starts again with his farmers: I'm in Brussels, but I keep thinking about our farmers ».
...things up, better than ever before, but it can't go too quickly. I am fighting for a level playing field for our farmers, and will win!
After intervening in the session and announcing that he not only wants the 2% target to be achieved immediately, he also asks for a new 4% target for 2025. President Trump leaves the session and, even before that is over, he tweets:
« What good is NATO if Germany pays Russia billions of dollars for gas and energy? Why have only 5 out of 29 countries fulfilled their commitment? The United States pays for the protection of Europe, then loses billions on trade. [We] must pay 2% of GDP IMMEDIATELY, not by 2025. »
What good is NATO if Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars for gas and energy? Why are there only 5 out of 29 countries that have met their commitment? The US is paying for Europe's protection, then loses billions on Trade. Must pay 2% of GDP IMMEDIATELY, not by 2025.
« Billions of additional dollars have been spent by NATO countries since my visit last year, at my request, but it is not enough. The United States spends too much. The borders of Europe are bad! Pipeline dollars to Russia are not acceptable! »
Billions of additional dollars are being spent by NATO countries since my visit last year, at my request, but it isn't nearly enough. US spends too much. Europe's borders are BAD! Pipeline dollars to Russia are not acceptable!
The next day, Thursday, July 12, President Trump drives the point home, while everyone strives to say that the atmosphere is good and that the 4% is rather a politician's empty talk.
“Presidents have been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Germany and other wealthy NATO countries to pay more for their protection from Russia. They only pay a fraction of their cost. The United States pays tens of billions of dollars too much to subsidize Europe and lose big on trade! »
Presidents have been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Germany and other rich NATO Nations to pay more toward their protection from Russia. They pay only a fraction of their cost. The US pays tens of Billions of Dollars too much to subsidize Europe, and loses Big on Trade!
“And on top of that, Germany has just started paying Russia, the country it wants to protect, billions of dollars for its energy needs from a new pipeline from Russia. It's not acceptable ! All NATO nations must meet their 2% commitment, and it must go up to 4%! »
....On top of it all, Germany just started paying Russia, the country they want protection from, Billions of Dollars for their Energy needs coming out of a new pipeline from Russia. Not acceptable! All NATO Nations must meet their 2% commitment, and that must ultimately go to 4%!
The final press conference is a demonstration between support for a strong NATO, America first and the unfairness of the American commitment compared to that of the Europeans
Jens Stoltenberg corrects the shot during the final press conference praising the effort of the allied countries since the coming to power of Donald Trump (which is better than the language used from the beginning which referred precisely to the summit in Wales, that is, to D. Trump's sworn enemy, Barack Obama. The president is delighted " A great success today at NATO! Billions of additional dollars paid by members since my election. Great mind ! »
Great success today at NATO! Billions of additional dollars paid by members since my election. Great spirit!
Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).
