Advertise On EU-Digest

Annual Advertising Rates

7/14/18

USA - Trump European Tour: Trump falsely claims credit on NATO spending

President Donald Trump took credit for a supposed new decision by NATO members to increase military spending, though there was no evidence of that.

And after hinting Thursday that the alliance is in trouble, he asserted that his aggressive demands at this week's summit had suddenly turned NATO into a "fine-tuned machine" that will treat the U.S. "much more fairly" — hyperbole that sent U.S. allies scrambling to make clear that NATO unity wasn't at risk.

Here's a look at how Trump's statements at a news conference in Brussels compare with the facts:

TRUMP: "Everyone's agreed to substantially up their commitment. They're going to up it at levels they've never thought of before."

"I can tell you now that NATO now is really a fine-tuned machine. People are paying money that they've never paid before. They're happy to do it. And the United States is being treated much more fairly."

THE FACTS: There's no outward sign that Trump's aggressive posturing in recent days has changed much for the alliance other than bruise its veneer of unity.

Read more: AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely claims credit on NATO spending

No comments: