*After making nice with Angela Merkel at NATO summit, Donald Trump reignites spending spat on Twitter* DW, July 11.
After praising the US's relationship with Germany, President Donald Trump is accusing the country of skimping on its defense budget. Earlier in the day, he'd put on a smile while addressing reporters with Angela Merkel. Wednesday was a back-and-forth day in Brussels for US President Donald Trump, who was in town to eventually discuss NATO business with delegates from the trans-Atlantic alliance's 28 other member countries.
First he was mad at Germany, claiming that the country was "captive" to Russia for its concessions in pursuit of a controversial gas pipeline deal. Then, after a public rebuke from Angela Merkel and a sit-down session with the chancellor, the US president was singing a revised tune, saying the bond between the increasingly uneasy allies was bigger — more "tremendous" even — than any differences between the leaders...
Merkel was more reserved with her assessment, saying the United States and Germany are "good partners, and we wish to continue cooperating in the future." Once the chancellor was out of earshot, however, and the president was back on the Twitter, he seemed to have once more reappraised the situation, and Germany was in the wrong again. "What good is NATO if Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars for gas and energy?" Trump asked rhetorically..
Defense minister: Look at Germany's output. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels that Germany was "used" to Trump's criticisms and that the country could "cope" with his barbs. She admitted that his criticism of Germany's low spending on defense was fair, but appealed to his background as a businessman to consider the country's defense contribution in a wider light...https://www.dw.com/en/after-making-nice-with-angela-merkel-at-nato-summit-donald-trump-reignites-spending-spat-on-twitter/a-44626464
= new reply since forum marked as read
