I don't give a shit about being popular in Europe. Europeans must pay (Trump)
(B2) The American president has not abandoned his desire to criticize Europeans. In his first press conference of 2019, at the beginning of January, Donald Trump repeated his favorite refrain: Europe benefits and does not pay enough
It sets the bar not at 2% (like the NATO standard) but at 4% for defense budgets
Europe, I don't care
Asked about his possible unpopularity in Europe, the host of the White House had this sentence " I don't care about Europe. I am not elected by Europeans. I'm elected by Americans, by American taxpayers ».
Europeans benefit
Donald Trump then repeated his favorite refrain: Europeans (or Japanese) are profiteers! " Many countries have taken advantage of our army. [...] We give military protection to very rich countries and they do nothing for us. You can call them allies if you like, [...] but many of our allies take advantage of our taxpayers and our country. We can't let this happen. »
They will have to pay
« We are currently negotiating with many countries to give more money to the United States for what we are doing for them. I wouldn't say they are thrilled. Because they have gone many years without paying. But now they will have to pay. »
The bar placed at 4%
And to add precisely: I want Europe to pay. Germany pays 1%. They should pay more than that. They should pay 4% (1). Other countries pay a small percentage of what they should pay. »
The contribution to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, insufficient
For the American president, the contribution of Europeans to operations led by the Americans, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, is also minimal. " You know, when a country sends us 200 soldiers to Iraq or 100 soldiers from a big country to Syria or Afghanistan, they tell me a hundred times: “Oh, we sent you soldiers. We have sent you soldiers'. But that's one-hundredth of the money they profit from. »
The bad US military in Afghanistan
In passing, Donald Trump scratches the American generals and, in particular, his former Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, resigned, for not having done the 'job' in Afghanistan. " I gave our generals all the money they wanted. [But] They didn't do such a good job in Afghanistan. [...] General Mattis was so delighted [with the additional budget]. Well, what has he done for me? What is he doing in Afghanistan? Not really well. Not really well. »
Objective: to leave NATO?
This new release, despite its repetitive, arrogant and somewhat vulgar side (the style of Donald Trump), must be taken seriously. Because the American president always seems to caress the desire to withdraw from NATO, an “obsolete” organization as he called it.
« The American president, on several occasions in 2018. , told in private that he wished to withdraw » of the Atlantic Alliance, says Julian Barnes of the New York Times. " Current officials and former supporters of the alliance have said they fear Mr Trump will repeat his threat as allies' military spending continues to lag behind targets set by the president. adds the New York daily.
Europeans have an interest in preparing so as not to be caught off guard. Because what Trump says one day, he often does...
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
Download the report official
- The target set by NATO is 2% of GDP. But Donald Trump had already mentioned a new target of 4% at the NATO summit in July 2018. This more or less corresponds to the defense budget of the United States.
- It is the taxation of cars that does not pass at the former businessman. " When the cars come home without tax, and we are asked to pay 25, 40, 50%? I'll be honest with you, it's not in my DNA. we don't allow that to happen anymore he said in the same speech.