Trump said NATO isn’t spending enough to support the alliance – New York Post

President Trump shocked NATO leaders at a private dinner in Brussels with strong-arm tactics and off-script gripes that they arent spending enough to support the alliance.

Behind closed doors at the May 25 meal, Trump told the heads of state that their agreement to eventually spend 2 percent of GDP on defense is not enough, sources who had been briefed on the meeting told Foreign Policy magazine.

Trump insisted they should aim for 3 percent.

The president also pushed the European allies to cough up back pay after years of under-spending pressuring them with the prospect of US defense cuts if they refused to fall in line.

It was a train wreck. It was awful, said a former US government official.

Trump pressed his point with sweet talk Friday by heaping praise on Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for the nations decision to surpass the 2-percent target for military spending.

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Trump said NATO isn't spending enough to support the alliance - New York Post