“I am following you,” US president Donald Trump told Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras during a short face to face meeting they had at the NATO Summit in Brussels on Thursday.
“You are recovering and that’s great!” the US president reportedly said further and added
“Greece is a wonderful country with wonderful people.”
Tsipras, Trump chat with NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg
It was the first time the two leaders met. But it was not the first time Trump praised Greece and Greeks. He did so during the Greek National Day celebrations at the White House in March and during a press briefing in April. Despite the superficial praises, thought, President Trump never went a step forward and expressed real support to the debt-ridden country.
At the end of Greek day, I mean, President Trump can show his support in a sentence containing more than just five to ten words and has more substance than the usual American interjections “great”, “wonderful”, “terrible”.
Donald Trump may have been kind to Greeks in Brussels but he was nasty to everybody else. Like to the Prime Minister of Montenegro, whom Trump pushed aside in order to be in the front of a group of NATO member leaders.
Did Trump just shove another NATO leader to be in the front of the group? pic.twitter.com/bL1r2auELd
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) May 25, 2017
Having been furious at German car exports and angry about the German trade surpluses since long ago, the US president expressed his strong displeasure. He reportedly told European leaders at a meeting:
“The Germans are bad, very bad.”
According to meeting participants, he added:
“See the millions of cars they are selling to the U.S. Terrible. We will stop this.”
As expected, he sharply criticized the NATO members that do not do their duty and spend that they have to spend for the North Atlantic Alliance.
“Members of the alliance must finally contribute their fair share and meet their financial obligations,” Trump told the heads of state. They tood silently — some shifting uncomfortably — behind him.
“Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they are supposed to be paying for their defense. This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States,” he said.
Trump argued that many of the allies “owe massive amounts of money from past years,” the 2% defense spending benchmark that allies must meet is designed to boost their military, not to funnel money to NATO or other allies.
No wonder Trump praises Greeks. With 2.38% of GDP, Greece has the second highest rate in defense spending within the NATO after the USA.
According to data released by the NATO for the years 2009-2016, Germany’s spending was just 1.19 percent.
— Panos Kammenos (@PanosKammenos) May 25, 2017
The pictures of Trump-Tsipras were taken by Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos who also uploaded them on his Twitter account.
PS Next step of Trump’s support to Greeks could be WOW and/or OMG! But then it will be too late.
You are right KTG. Trump’s next words in his future official visit here will be:
– WOW, where have the Greeks gone?
– OMG, why are they all blonde and speak German?
I don’t think President Trump was rude to the others. Some of the richest countries of the EU have not paid their NATO Fees. Greece paid and if Greece can pay, so can the other Countries. Thank you Greece for paying. That says alot.
well, maybe some countries pay less for military. but the refugee crisis, which is a direct result of US illegal bombing of currently 7 countries, who is paying for that? not many Syrians arrived in the US lately, or have I missed something?
Well, Scape, once more Greece pays for the refugees and to a lesser extent Italy. When the US were bombing all over the Middle East for the sake of “Democracy” (lol) once again our European “allies” (France, UK, Germany etc) deafened us with their silence and their own bombs. They are just as responsible for the refugees crisis.
Iannis & Scape, not only the Greeks & Spanish & Italians pay for the migrants but also ALL EU taxpayers, which means for the Italians , Greeks & Spanish paying twice. Meanwhile fortunes lare being made out of the migrant crisis at high level and along its rat lines – follow the money! – but not by ordinary Europeans.
Don’t listen to Trump – declare bankruptcy & kiss them all good-bye.
Interesting article – google – Is America on the path to Suicide? – Darkmoon.