Trump, you may recall, was skeptical of NATO on the campaign trail — provoking serious concern that, should Russia strike a NATO member, he wouldn’t help strike back. [Vox / Zeeshan Aleem]- His speech Thursday was expected to clear up that worry by explicitly endorsing Article V of the NATO Charter, which promises mutual defense. He ... did not do that. And everyone promptly panicked. [Vox / Zeeshan Aleem] :
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President Trump’s foreign trip had been, until Thursday, surprisingly light on crises. Then the NATO summit happened. |
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| Stefan Rousseau - Pool/Getty Images |
- President Trump promised NATO leaders that the U.S. would “never forsake” them, but also reminded them of their duty to pay a fair share of the costs. Trump used the occasion of his maiden summit with NATO leaders to remind fellow members that “23 of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying" and that they owe “massive amounts” from past years. The ceremony in Brussels was supposed to end uncertainty among American allies in Europe, but the president’s remarks instead left the impression of the U.S. having one foot in and one foot out on NATO and other global obligations.
- In practice, US troops are already committed in NATO activities, so Trump’s personal feelings on Article V might not be that relevant. But it’s still an unnecessary drama at best, and a reason to trust the US less at worst. [War on the Rocks / Sara Bjerg Moller]
- The discord was palpable even in the body language, which included an awkward handshake with one world leader and a little jostling with another.
- Trump appears to yank on Macron's arm, but the two smile afterward. A Trumpshake once again.
- [Trump]...appears to have called the Germans “bad” and complained about the number of BMWs being bought by Americans... [Quartz / Max de Haldevang]
- .and shoved aside the prime minister of Montenegro to get the central position in a photo [USA Today / Jessica Estepa]
All of this happened as the UK, which is livid at the US government for leaking information about the Manchester attack and investigation to the press, announced that it would limit intelligence sharing with the US to prevent leaks. [Reuters / Elizabeth Piper and Estelle Chirbon]
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| U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May react during a ceremony at the new NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann |
- The Trump administration is promising to go after the leakers. But some of the distrust isn’t of American intelligence officers. It’s of Trump himself. Before the summit, European leaders thought of him as a “laughingstock” — they may not even be laughing now. [Politico Magazine / Susan Glasser]