Trump Wastes No Time Attacking Allies at NATO Summit
*By Alisha Haridasani*
Barely hours into the NATO summit in Brussels, President Trump has already spurned key allies and ramped up criticism against the organization.
Trump on Wednesday accused Germany of being a “captive of Russia” for using Russian oil and gas. He also, once again, called on other countries in the military alliance to increase their contribution to defense spending.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed back, though, reminding the president that she knows what it's really like to be occupied by the Soviet Union.
“I have experienced myself how a part of Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union. I am very happy that today we are united in freedom,” she said. “Because of that we can say that we can make our independent policies and make independent decisions.”
She also pointed out that while Germany doesn’t contribute as much towards NATO’s defense spending as America, it is “the second largest provider of troops.”
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, also warned the president to “appreciate your allies.”
“After all, you don’t have that many,” he said on Tuesday before the summit officially got underway.
Trump has long voiced his [opposition](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-president-trump-is-bearish-on-nato?utm_source=All+Subs&utm_campaign=6a3cd99c82-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_10_06_34&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4b7ac66387-6a3cd99c82-) to the military alliance, taking particular issue with America’s large contribution to spending compared with other member countries.
NATO set a spending goal for all 29 members in 2014, asking them to aim to contribute 2 percent of their GDP to defense. America currently pitches in more than 3 percent of its GDP, and only four other countries have met the 2 percent target.
Back home, Republican lawmakers see the president’s aggressive demands as a positive.
“This is an objective of NATO that Trump is reiterating,” said [Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.)](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-hill-trump-is-right-to-pressure-nato-allies-into-paying-more). “It’s not a new commitment, and it’s a commitment that predates Mr. Trump’s presidency. I’m fully supportive of it.”
A few days after meeting with NATO, an alliance that was founded after WWII to counter Soviet Union aggression, Trump will meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin one-on-one in Helsinki, Finland.
That meeting, which Trump has said “may be the easiest of them all,” is a source of concern for American allies and lawmakers alike, who worry that he may make too many concessions.
Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday sent the president a [letter](https://democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/news/press-releases/forty-four-armed-services-and-foreign-affairs-committee-democrats-release), urging him to “not praise, condone, or abet any Russian efforts to undermine the sovereignty or democracy of any of our allies and partners.”
“President Trump must recognize the importance that our forward military presence and joint military exercises play in deterring Russia and ensuring military readiness,” the letter states, responding to [reports](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-assessing-cost-of-keeping-troops-in-germany-as-trump-battles-with-europe/2018/06/29/94689094-ca9f-490c-b3be-b135970de3fc_story.html?utm_term=.8ccfeaba8548) that the Pentagon is considering reducing America’s military presence in Europe and alluding to Trump’s decision to end military exercises on the Korean peninsula after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“This president says ‘America First’ but it seems as though he’s saying ‘Russia First’ or ‘North Korea First’,” said [Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-meeks-trump-is-putting-russia-first) who sits on the House committee that wrote the letter. “It seems as though this president enjoys to give away the store to individuals who have been antagonistic towards us.”
U.S. officials spoke to Russian leaders for nearly eight hours earlier this week, in hopes of reducing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Russia forced the west to the negotiating table by massing 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, sparking fears of an invasion, and then submitted a set of demands which the west rejected. Joel Rubin, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State & President at Washington Strategy Group explains what the rest of the week might look like, and why other European nations may be on the side of the U.S.
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With Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C. 6th District), the House Majority Whip, talked about the importance of honoring the iconic civil rights activist. "As we consider the life and celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., let's think about who and what we are as a country, and whether or not we're going to give up on the ideals of this country or continue to press forward," he said. Clyburn also discussed the push for new voting legislation, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Act, as well as the fate of the Senate filibuster.
One year after the attack on Capitol Hill, America is still deeply divided and politically broken. Zoe Tillman, senior reporter for BuzzFeed News, breaks down President Biden's remarks on January 6, and why the country disagrees on its views over the violent insurrection.
While the pandemic caused financial troubles for many, the unique circumstances of the last two years proved helpful to many Americans. Whether it was the federal government's stimulus checks, expanded unemployment insurance, or general lockdowns, recent data reveals that the covid-19 pandemic helped many reach financial security. Neale Godfrey, Financial Expert and New York Times #1 Best Selling Author joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
U.S. markets opened higher despite red-hot inflation data which showed the highest surge in nearly 40 years. Jon Maier, CIO, GlobalX ETFs joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this historic report.
Meta's request to have a Federal Trade Commission antitrust lawsuit dismissed was rejected by a federal judge. Prosecutors presented enough evidence in their latest filing to go forward with the case accusing the tech giant of operating a social networking monopoly through Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Covid cases have started to spike again across the nation, and this time they seem to be hitting some of our youngest and most vulnerable - school-aged children. School districts across the nation - including the country's largest public school system in New York City- are all grappling with what to do as teachers and students alike continue to miss school in droves.
Katie Honan, reporter for the New York City-based non profit news organization, The City explains how educational leaders across the country are handling covid demands from both teachers and parents alike.
Last week, the Supreme Court began here to hear arguments on two of the President's COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The vaccine or testing requirement for employees of large businesses, as well as the vaccine mandate for health care providers who get funding through either Medicare or Medicaid. The justices in DC will ultimately decide whether or not federal agencies even have the authority to issue these types of mandates. Editor at large of employment at Law 360, Vin Gurrieri, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
