*By Alisha Haridasani* President Trump on Thursday wrapped the NATO summit, leaving behind a trail of confusion, and landed in London where he faces chaos and anger. The president, despite hurling [criticism](https://cheddar.com/videos/trump-wastes-no-time-attacking-allies-at-nato-summit-in-brussels) at the military alliance for days, reaffirmed American commitment to the organization. “I believe in NATO,” he said in an press conference in Brussels. He then went on to proclaim that NATO members had agreed to increasing their defense spending. Moments later, though, French president Emmanuel Macron disputed Trump’s claims, saying all 29 members had re-committed to the previous spending target of 2 percent of their GDP. The confusion was further compounded by Trump's reported behavior in private meetings with NATO leaders, where he was characteristically combative and threatened to pull out of the alliance unless members met their 2 percent targets by January. Trump is now in London to meet with Prime Minister Theresa May in what is his first visit to the British capital since becoming president. May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump at the White House in 2017 and invited him to visit her country in an attempt to solidify the decades-long 'special relationship' between the UK and the U.S. Trump, however, soured that relationship many times. He slammed London Mayor Sadiq Khan for mishandling the aftermath of the June terror attack in the British capital. Trump also controversially retweeted a video from a far-right British party, a move that drew the ire of many Britons. All of these incidents added pressure on May to revoke her invitation to Trump. Instead, what had been an state visit was downgraded to a working visit, which means the Queen does not officially host the president and the first lady as she has done with previous U.S. presidents. But Trump will still meet with the Queen at Windsor Castle on Friday. During a state visit, foreign leaders are invited to address the British Parliament ー Trump will not be given that chance. Prior to his flight from Brussels to London, Trump said: "I think they like me a lot in the UK." Tens of thousands of protesters would disagree. Trump's visit has inspired Londoners to pull together a “Carnival of Resistance” that will feature massive crowds marching through the streets, a giant balloon of a baby Trump floating in the skies, and a group of people blaring trumpets to make a ["bad noise for bad times"](https://www.facebook.com/Trumpets-Against-Trump-1834111463526077/). "Having a special relationship means that we expect the highest standards from each other," said Mayor Khan, who signed off on the baby balloon. "It also means speaking out when we think the values we hold dear are under threat." After London, Trump will head to Finland on Monday to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin, a one-on-one private conversation that has raised concern among global allies and [congressional lawmakers](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-meeks-trump-is-putting-russia-first) back at home.

Share:
More In Politics
U.S. Stocks Close Slightly Higher As Inflation, Recession Fears Persist
U.S. stocks close Monday's session slight higher Monday as investors continue to monitor whether the economy will successfully avoid a recession. For many, fears over inflation and rising interest rates. Tommy Mancuso, president and co-founder of the Bad Investment Company, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
'The End is Nye' With Bill Nye the TikTok Guy and His Natural Disasters Streaming Series
Bill Nye the Science Guy is back but on an even smaller screen. America’s favorite science teacher has racked up more than eight million followers on TikTok, and he joined Cheddar News to talk about his success on the platform, having fun but also being serious about scientific topics like tackling climate change, and his newest hosting project "The End is Nye," a streaming show on Peacock that examines disasters — both natural and manmade. "There are six episodes. We have big disasters. Things go terribly wrong, and then we show you how things could have gone right," he explained.
The Biden Administration Takes On Inflation
Cheddar Politics takes a look at the Biden Administration's effort to center inflation concerns in the White House's economic policies. Reuters White House reporter Jeff Mason joins Cheddar News to discuss what the White House is doing and what more it can do to help fix economic issues.
European Union Announces Historic Embargo On Russian Oil
In another round of sweeping sanctions against Russia for its war on Ukraine, European Union leaders have agreed to ban the vast majority of Russian oil by the end of the year. But, the embargo covers only Russian oil brought in by sea, allowing an exemption for fuel imported via pipeline. Christine McDaniel, a senior fellow with the Mercatus Center, discusses just how significant this deal is, and what impact it might have on the global energy sector.
U.S. Stocks Close Near Session Lows, Post Weekly Losses
U.S. stocks closed Friday's session near session to cap off the week in the red. The disappointing end to the day and week follows a lukewarm May jobs report from the Labor Department and comes as investors continue to eye future rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Callie Cox, U.S. Investment Analyst for eToro, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
GUN LAWS IN OTHER COUNTRIES
While the United States struggles with mass shootings, other countries have had success with gun regulations - often after their own mass shootings. On this Gun Awareness Day, Cheddar's Shannon LaNier reports on steps some other countries have taken to stop gun violence.
Load More