Following a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Trump meets with Emmanuel from France. {transcript will follow later}
“I think its going to be very successful,” President Trump said, noting that the two have a tremendous relationship. Additionally, President Trump remarked the two leaders are discussing “trade, NATO, and a lot of different things, and hopefully in the end, it’ll all work out.”
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[Transcript 4:23 P.M. CEST] PRESIDENT TRUMP: (In progress) — the President of France, who’s doing a terrific job being President of France. He’s changing a lot of things around. And I guess that had to happen. And I think it’s going to be very successful. We have a tremendous relationship. We’re discussing trade. We’re discussing NATO. We’re discussing a lot of different things. And hopefully, in the end, it will all work out. And so it’s great to be with you.
PRESIDENT MACRON: (Speaks French.) (No translation provided.) “Merci beaucoup.Trs heureux de retrouver le prsident Donald Trump. Il a presque un an maintenant il tait Paris et il nous avait fait lhonneur dassister notre fte nationale et nous navons pas cessdepuis dchanger de manire rgulire et nous allons continuer aujourdhui sur videment les sujets commerciaux et lOTAN mais galement la Syrie et les sujets gopolitiques sur lesquels nous avons beaucoup faireensemble”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: It sounded beautifully. (Laughter.) I have no idea — it sounded great.
PRESIDENT MACRON: I told them exactly the same — (laughter) — but in French, for French journalists. (Inaudible.)
I just reminded everybody that almost one year ago you were present with your wife in Paris for Bastille Day.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Beautiful.
PRESIDENT MACRON: (Inaudible) 14th of July. And we’ve worked together for 12 months now.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: True.
PRESIDENT MACRON: And took some great decisions.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’ve made some good decisions.
PRESIDENT MACRON: And we’ll continue to work together (inaudible).
PRESIDENT TRUMP: That’s right. Thank you very much. Thank you.
Q President Macron, do you agree that Angela Merkel is beholden to the Russians?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Oh, I believe they asked you that. (Laughter.)
Thank you. Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT MACRON: No, I think —
Q No?
PRESIDENT MACRON: We just discussed the nature of that. We work together.
Earlier this morning President Trump stunned NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the atomic sledgehammer of truth. Stoltenberg never recovered. The issue was/is NATO asking the U.S. for defense against Russia while the NATO member nations, driven by the construct of Germany, finance Russia through energy purchases.
Then comes the Angela Merkel bi-lateral meeting.
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[Transcript 3:45 P.M. CEST] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’re having a great meeting. We’re discussing military expenditure. We’re talking about trade. We have a very, very good relationship with the Chancellor. We have a tremendous relationship with Germany. They’ve made tremendous — you’ve had tremendous success and I congratulate you. Tremendous success. And I believe that our trade will increase and lots of other things will increase. But we’ll see what happens over the next period of a few months.
CHANCELLOR MERKEL: (As interpreted.) Well, let me say that I am very pleased, indeed, to have this opportunity here for this exchange of views. And, indeed, we had an opportunity to have an exchange about economic developments, on issues such as migration, and also the future of our trade relations.
We also briefly touched upon the upcoming trips of the President. And let me say that I’m very much looking forward to further extending our exchanges in the future and enhancing them. I think they’re very important to have those exchanges together. Because after all, we are partners, we are good partners, and we wish to continue to cooperate in the future.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Okay, thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.
Q Did you discuss the gas pipeline?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes.
Q (Inaudible.)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We discussed that. Thank you very much.
…”Germany is totally controlled by Russia, because they will be getting from 60 to 70 percent of their energy from Russia and a new pipeline. And you tell me if that’s appropriate, because I think it’s not, and I think it’s a very bad thing for NATO and I don’t think it should have happened.”.. ~President Trump
Chancellor Merkel was ‘triggered‘… President Trump was not supposed to point out the truth about the financial relationship between Russia and Germany. Germany funds Russia and simultaneously asks the U.S. to spend money protecting them from Russia.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has turned off nuclear energy development, banned fracking, and has almost no wind/solar development. The primary way Germany keep the lights on, and manufacturing continuing, is Russian gas. Simultaneously Germany gives subsidies for the industrial use of electricity.
Germany buys Russian gas from Putin, subsidizes their auto-manufacturing, ships cars to the US, imposes tariffs on U.S. automakers, and questions President Trump’s relationship with Putin and commitment to NATO? Nuts.
Oh snap. Brilliant, simply brilliant. President Trump keeps the cameras rolling during a breakfast with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; and absolutely crushes the NATO position on needing money to defend against Russia when NATO -specifically Germany- is funding Russian expansion financially through energy development, and simultaneously asking the U.S. for money to defend against Russia.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looks like he is half going to break out laughing, and half saying to himself: oh, it’s on..
Stoltenberg: […] I think that two World Wars and the Cold War taught us that we are stronger together than apart.
Trump: But how can you be together when a country is getting its energy from the person you want protection against or from the group that you want protection?
Stoltenberg: Because we understand that when we stand together, also in dealing with Russia, we are stronger. I think what we have seen is that —
Trump: No, you’re just making Russia richer. You’re not dealing with Russia. You’re making Russia richer.
This is a MUST WATCH:
Transcript – AT BILATERAL BREAKFAST – Chief of Mission Residence – Brussels, Belgium – 9:13 A.M. CEST – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Good morning, everybody. Good morning to the media — the legitimate media and the fake-news media. Good morning to them. A lot of good people here. Surprising.
Q Mr. President, which countries did you want to spend more on NATO in particular?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Just look at the chart. Take a look at the chart. It’s public. And many countries are not paying what they should. And, frankly, many countries owe us a tremendous amount of money for many years back, where they’re delinquent, as far as I’m concerned, because the United States has had to pay for them. So if you go back 10 or 20 years, you’ll just add it all up. It’s massive amounts of money is owed. The United States has paid and stepped up like nobody. This has gone on for decades, by the way. This has gone on for many Presidents. But no other President brought it up like I bring it up. So something has to be done, and the Secretary General has been working on it very hard.
This year, since our last meeting, commitments have been made for over $40 billion more money spent by other countries. So that’s a step, but it’s a very small step. It sounds like a lot of money, and it is. But it’s a very small amount of money relative to what they owe and to what they should be paying. And it’s an unfair burden on the United States.
So we’re here to talk about that, and I’m sure it will be resolved. I have great confidence in the Secretary General. He’s worked very, very hard on this, and he knows it’s a fact. But I have great confidence in him and his representatives.
You going to say something?
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: First of all, it’s great to see you again, Mr. President. And good to have you here for a summit. And we are going to discuss many important issues at the summit. Among them is defense spending. And we all agree that we have to do more. I agree with you that we have to do make sure that our allies are investing more. The good news is that allies have started to invest more in defense.
After years of cutting defense budgets, they have started to add billions to their defense budgets. And last year was the biggest increase in defense spending across Europe and Canada in that generation.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Why was that last year?
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: It’s also because of your leadership, because of your carried message. And —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: They won’t write that, but that’s okay.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: No, I have said it before, but the thing is that it really has. And your message is having an impact, and we are going to build on that to make sure that we have further increases. You initiated last year that all allies are going to develop national plans on how to spend more on defense. And based on these national plans, we now estimate that European allies and Canada will add 266 extra U.S. dollars for defense from now until — billion U.S. dollars — until 2024.
So this is really adding some extra momentum. It helps and we are moving in the right direction. But we still have to do more, and that is what we’re going to address after the summit later on today.
Let me also add that a strong NATO is good for Europe and it’s also good for the United States. The U.S. (inaudible) presence in Europe helps to protect Europe, but it also helps the United States project power to the Middle East, to Africa. And I think also that clout — the military clout of Europe, economic clout, the political clout — also is helpful dealing with Russia. And we look forward to the meeting you’re going to have with President Putin. And I think that leaders are also looking forward to your thoughts about the meeting with President Putin later on.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I have to say, I think it’s very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia, where you’re supposed to be guarding against Russia, and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia. So we’re protecting Germany. We’re protecting France. We’re protecting all of these countries. And then numerous of the countries go out and make a pipeline deal with Russia, where they’re paying billions of dollars into the coffers of Russia.
So we’re protect you against Russia, but they’re paying billions of dollars to Russia, and I think that’s very inappropriate. And the former Chancellor of Germany is the head of the pipeline company that’s supplying the gas. Ultimately, Germany will have almost 70 percent of their country controlled by Russia with natural gas.
So you tell me, is that appropriate? I mean, I’ve been complaining about this from the time I got in. It should have never been allowed to have happened. But Germany is totally controlled by Russia, because they will be getting from 60 to 70 percent of their energy from Russia and a new pipeline. And you tell me if that’s appropriate, because I think it’s not, and I think it’s a very bad thing for NATO and I dont think it should have happened. And I think we have to talk to Germany about it.
On top of that, Germany is just paying a little bit over 1 percent, whereas the United States, in actual numbers, is paying 4.2 percent of a much larger GDP. So I think that’s inappropriate also. You know, we’re protecting Germany, we’re protecting France. We’re protecting everybody. And yet we’re paying a lot of money to protect.
Now, this has been going on for decades. This has been brought up by other presidents. But other presidents never did anything about it because I dont think they understood it or they just didnt want to get involved.
But I have to bring it up, because I think it’s very unfair to our country. It’s very unfair to our taxpayer. And I think that these countries have to step it up not over a 10-year period; they have to step it up immediately. Germany is a rich country. They talk about they’re going to increase it a tiny bit by 2030. Well, they could increase it immediately tomorrow and have no problem. I dont think it’s fair to the United States.
So we’re going to have to do something because we’re not going to put up with it. We can’t put up with it. And it’s inappropriate.
So we have to talk about the billions and billions of dollars that’s being paid to the country that we’re supposed to be protecting you against. You know, everybody is talking about it all over the world. They’ll say, well, wait a minute, we’re supposed to be protecting you from Russia, but why are you paying billions of dollars to Russia for energy? Why are countries in NATO, namely Germany, having a large percentage of their energy needs paid to Russia and taken care of by Russia?
Now, if you look at it, Germany is a captive of Russia because they supply. They got rid of their coal plants. They got rid of their nuclear. They’re getting so much of the oil and gas from Russia. I think it’s something that NATO has to look at. I think it’s very inappropriate. You and I agree that it’s inappropriate. I dont know what you can do about it now, but it certainly doesnt seem to make sense that they paid billions of dollars to Russia and now we have to defend them against Russia.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: You know, NATO is an alliance of 29 nations, and there are sometimes differences and different views, and also some disagreements. And the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany is one issue where allies disagree. But the strength of NATO is that despite these differences, we have always been able to unite around our core task, to protect and defend each other, because we understand that we are stronger together than apart.
I think that two World Wars and the Cold War taught us that we are stronger together than apart.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: But how can you be together when a country is getting its energy from the person you want protection against or from the group that you want protection?
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Because we understand that when we stand together, also in dealing with Russia, we are stronger. I think what we have seen is that —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: No, you’re just making Russia richer. You’re not dealing with Russia. You’re making Russia richer.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Well, I think that even during the Cold War, NATO Allies were trading with Russia, and then there have been disagreements about what kind of trade arrangements we should (inaudible).
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I think trade is wonderful. I think energy is a whole different story. I think energy is a much different story than normal trade. And you have a country like Poland that won’t accept the gas. You take a look at some of the countries — they won’t accept it, because they don’t want to be captive to Russia. But Germany, as far as I’m concerned, is captive to Russia, because it’s getting so much of its energy from Russia. So we’re supposed to protect Germany, but they’re getting their energy from Russia. Explain that. And it can’t be explained — you know that.
Thank you.
Q What are the consequences if they don’t spend more, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: They will spend more. I have great confidence that they’ll spend more. I have great confidence.
Q Mr. President, does something have to change on trade for you to keep your troop levels in Europe?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I have great confidence that they will be spending more money, as they should be.
Q Mr. President, why is it (inaudible) spend 10 times more than Russia for defense? Why is it necessary to spend 10 times more money on defense (inaudible)? You are a businessman.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: It’s a shame they made that deal. Too bad. It’s too bad. Thank you.
Perhaps the most interesting observation of how Trump handles negotiations is that he approaches them as a businessman rather than a politician. He certainly does not play nicely or puts on the pretends that everything is wonderful in the land of politics. Indeed, NATO officials were on edge and nervously welcomed President Trump who arrived in Brussels on Tuesday night. They were afraid he would behave “badly” over the two-day meeting. Normally, NATO summits are fixed in advance and proceed in an orderly fashion to create the image that everyone is in solidarity. This summit began strikingly differently on a most divisive footing in NATO’s 69-year history.
From the opening bell, Trump’s first words signaled this meeting was not going to be boring or politically correct. Trump openly complained that Germany was totally controlled by Russia and that German politicians had been working for Russian energy companies after leaving politics and said this was inappropriate. As the head of NATO Mr. Stoltenberg immediately looked very uncomfortable, Trump continued his assault in a very unrelenting manner as you would in a business negotiation in a hostile takeover. Trump said: “I think it is very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia.” He continued saying that “we” are supposed to be guarding against Russia, and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia. “We are protecting Germany, we are protecting France, we are protecting all of these countries and then numerous of the countries go out and make a pipeline deal with Russia where they are paying billions of dollars into the coffers of Russia. I think that is very inappropriate.”
Trump kept up the aggressive negotiating stand. “It should never have been allowed to happen. Germany is totally controlled by Russia because they will be getting 60-70% of their energy from Russia and a new pipeline. … You tell me if that’s appropriate because I think it’s not. On top of that Germany is just paying just a little bit over 1% [of GDP on NATO defense contributions] whereas the United States is paying 4.2% of a much larger GDP. So I think that’s inappropriate also.”
For decades, American politicians complained about European tariffs against American products while the US was paying the bulk of the cost for both the United Nations and for NATO expanding the US national debt year after year. Trump was the first President to openly come out and say publicly: “I think it is unfair,” Trump said. No other American president had ever raised European defense spending as a major negotiating tactic linking it to trade. Trump openly came out and bluntly said: “We can’t put up with it!”
After things calmed down, Merkel herself, speaking through an interpreter, said that the meeting was an “opportunity to have an exchange about economic developments … and also the future of our trade relations.” Trump managed to convert the normally separate NATO boring meeting and linked it to trade. Of course, the American press will not report the real tactics going on. They are too busy trying to impeach him.
I don’t often indulge in reflection… but when I do, well, y’all are welcome to come along. Decades of living with one foot in a flip-flop and the other in a wingtip lends itself to a rather odd set of life-skills and friendships.
Tonight I celebrate a series of Trumpian winnamins with a comfy cigar, and hat-tip at sunset to all y’all. Having lived every.single.line of these two songs, and still planning on sliding in sideways to the pearly gates: ‘wow, whatta ride‘, well, no greater love. True.
Cheers. All y’all pirates.
Be back later.
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Bathing in the glory of MAGA winning, and being so unbelievably thankful, so thankful, is like:
EU Parliament member Daniel Hannan discusses the background of Prime Minister May’s inept approach toward exiting the EU; her future, and the future of the Brexit process, and President Trump calling out NATO allies.
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Methinks this NATO summit will be very interesting…
Stunningly confrontational remarks today from EU President Donald Tusk as U.S. President Trump and First Lady Melania arrive in Brussels for a NATO summit.
After destroying nationalistic Brexit plans for the U.K. to exit the European Union, the insufferable arrogance of the EU surfaces with pontificating snark.
The EU might feel emboldened right now, but this approach will not end well; believe me.
Brussels – Speaking on the eve of the NATO summit here in Brussels, I would like to address President Trump directly, who for a long time now has been criticising Europe almost daily for, in his view, insufficient contributions to the common defence capabilities, and for living off the US.
Dear President Trump: America does not have, and will not have a better ally than Europe. Today Europeans spend on defence many times more than Russia, and as much as China. And I think you can have no doubt, Mr President, that this is an investment in common American and European defence and security. Which can’t be said with confidence about Russian or Chinese spending.
I would therefore have two remarks here. First of all, dear America, appreciate your allies, after all you don’t have that many. And, dear Europe, spend more on your defence, because everyone respects an ally that is well-prepared and equipped.
Money is important, but genuine solidarity is even more important. Speaking about solidarity, I want to dispel the American President’s argument, which says that the US alone protects Europe against our enemies, and that the US is almost alone in this struggle.
Europe was first to respond on a large scale when the US was attacked, and called for solidarity after 9/11. European soldiers have been fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in Afghanistan. 870 brave European men and women sacrificed their lives, including 40 soldiers from my homeland Poland.
Dear Mr President, please remember about this tomorrow, when we meet at the NATO summit, but above all when you meet president Putin in Helsinki. It is always worth knowing: who is your strategic friend? And who is your strategic problem? (link)
WATCH:
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Remember: every parasite needs a host. As soon as the host refuses to remain co-dependent to its own abuse or demise, the abusers begin to panic.
It was exactly a month ago, June 10th after the G7 summit in Canada, when EU European Union President Donald Tusk worried about the Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama “new world order” legacy being dismantled:
“What worries me most is the fact that the rules-based international order is being challenged, quite surprisingly, not by the usual suspects, but by its main architect and guarantor: the US.”
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Melsbroek Air Base in Brussels, Belgium ahead of the NATO summit Wednesday and Thursday. The First Family will be staying at the EU Chief of Mission residence.
Earlier this morning, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump depart the White House to board Marine-1 for the first leg of their trip to Europe. President Trump stops to answer brief questions from the White House Press Pool:
THE PRESIDENT: Well, it’s going to be an interesting time in the UK, and it’s certainly going to be an interesting time with NATO. NATO has not treated us fairly, but I think we’ll work something out. We pay far too much and they pay far too little. But we will work it out, and all countries will be happy. With the UK, that’s a situation that’s been going on for a long time.
So I have NATO, I have the UK, which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think? Who would think? But the UK certainly has a — they have a lot of things going on.
Q Have you talked with Theresa May since Boris (inaudible)?
THE PRESIDENT: I have not. No, I have not. But Boris Johnson is a friend of mine. He’s been very, very nice to me and very supportive. And maybe we’ll speak to him when I get over there. I like Boris Johnson. I’ve always liked him.
Q But should Theresa May remain in power?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, that’s up to the people. I get along with her very well. I have a very good relationship. That’s certainly up to the people, not up to me.
Q On NATO, Donald Tusk, about half an hour ago, said that you should appreciate America’s allies because you don’t have very many. What do you say to —
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we do have a lot of allies, but we cannot be taken advantage of. We’re being taken advantage of by the European Union. We lost $151 billion last year on trade. And on top of that, we spend at least 70 percent for NATO. And, frankly, it helps them a lot more than it helps us. So we’ll see what happens. We have a long, beautiful week.
I will say also, last night was an incredible evening.
Brett Kavanaugh has gotten rave reviews — rave reviews — actually, from both sides. And I think it’s going to be a beautiful thing to watch over the next month. But he has gotten rave reviews.
Q Vladimir Putin (inaudible) friend or foe?
THE PRESIDENT: I really can’t say right now. As far as I’m concerned, a competitor. A competitor. I think that getting along with Russia, getting along with China, getting along with others is a good thing, not a bad thing. I’ve said that many times for many years. So we’ll see. We’re meeting with Vladimir Putin on Monday. We’ll see how that goes.
Q (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: They didn’t give it. I have it for him. They didn’t give it. But it will be given at a certain period. I actually do — I actually do have a little gift for him, but you’ll find out what that gift is when I give it.
Q (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: No, I haven’t. I really haven’t. We haven’t discussed it.
Q (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I have a solution: Tell people not to come to our country illegally. That’s the solution. Don’t come to our country illegally. Come like other people do; come legally.
Q (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: I’m saying this, very simply: We have laws. We have borders. Don’t come to our country illegally. It’s not a good thing. And as far as ICE is concerned, the people that are fighting ICE, it’s a disgrace. These people go into harm’s way. There is nobody under greater danger than the people from ICE. What they do to MS-13 and everything else.
So we ought to support ICE, not do what the Democrats are doing. Democrats want open borders, and they don’t mind crime. We want no crime, and we want borders where borders mean something. And remember this: Without borders, you do not have a country.
You gotta give President Trump credit for controlling the media cycle. Tonight at 9:00pm President Donald Trump will announce his Supreme Court pick in a prime-time address.
It has been reported that four candidates remain in the running: Amy Coney Barrett, Thomas Hardiman, Brett Kavanaugh, and Raymond Kethledge.
UPDATE: President Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh !!
I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
Centinel2012 