'That's not how it works': Trump's grasp of Nato questioned after Merkel tweets

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

On the heels of a visibly awkward visit from German chancellor Angela Merkel, Donald Trump said on Saturday that Germany owed “vast sums of money” to Nato and the US, even though the alliance does not stipulate payments to America.

His remarks prompted a former US permanent representative to Nato to reply “that’s not how Nato works”, and to add that increased European spending on defense was not a “favor (or payment) to the US”.

Trump, who was at his Mar-a-Lago estate for the weekend and spending the morning at Trump International Golf Course, sent two tweets early in the day. The first denounced “the FAKE NEWS” for what he said was mistaken coverage of a “GREAT” meeting with Merkel.

Link to tweet

Trump’s public appearances with Merkel betrayed an awkwardness between the two leaders, including during two widely remarked upon appearances in the White House. In one, the leaders failed to stage a handshake for cameras in the Oval Office, and in another Merkel looked baffled by comments made by Trump during a joint press conference. Before the visit Trump had repeatedly called Merkel’s policies “insane” and “disaster” for Germany.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/thats-not-how-it-works-trumps-grasp-of-nato-questioned-after-merkel-tweets/ar-BBylgoJ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp

[pangaia]

1. "Trumps public appearances with Merkel betrayed an awkwardness between the two leaders, "

Actually, the awkwardness was all the fuckwad's.

[Jonny Appleseed]

4. She was pretty awkward. But only because Trump was off his meds or on too many meds.

I think he saw her and got PTSD from how hard Hillary spanked him in those debates.

[Doodley]

2. What Trump doesn't get is that US has Nato bases for US strategic purposes.

If you tell another nation we want to have our own military bases in your country and you are going to pay for everything, first the people will object, second you may be told to either shut the f up or leave.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Trump has no grasp of anything. Well, except money, greed, power and ignorance

[ismnotwasm]

5. This is such a clusterfuck shit show

Every day another example of asinine incompetence

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Trump actually thinks other NATO countries owe the US money

when the way it really works is that they are obligated to use 2% of their GDP for their own and NATO's joint defense. Even those countries that haven't been able to do that don't owe us a nickel.

Moron.

But you knew that.

[yeoman6987]

9. I'd like us to pay 2 percent as well. Why should we be required to pay more?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. We aren't required to pay more. All member states are asked to spend

at least 2% of their GDP on defense, but we spend 3.61%. That's voluntary; NATO isn't making us do that.

[yeoman6987]

11. Thanks. That's good to know.

[Solly Mack]

7. K&R

[Turbineguy]

8. The two leaders?

was there a third person in on the meeting?