Trump Changes Tone In Merkel Meeting After Earlier Slamming Germany

[appalachiablue]

Source: Reuters

BRUSSELS - U.S. President Donald Trump said he had a "great meeting" with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of a NATO summit on Wednesday, hours after he fiercely criticized German policy on defense spending and gas imports from Russia.

The tone of their remarks contrasted with an earlier breakfast between Trump and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, when the Republican president said Germany's reliance on Russian energy left it "in the control" of Moscow and Merkel later referred to her youth in Soviet-run East Germany to insist Berlin was now fully sovereign.

"We're having a great meeting. We're discussing military expenditure ... talking about trade," Trump told reporters who were allowed into the meeting room. "We have a very, very good relationship with the chancellor. We have a tremendous relationship with Germany," he added, saying he had raised his concerns about a new gas pipeline planned from Russia to Germany.

Trump played up the success of the bilateral meeting and the potential to resolve issues...More..


Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-changes-tone-in-merkel-meeting-after-earlier-slamming-germany/ar-AAzVuO4

---

*C-SPAN VIDEO, July 11, 2018, President Trump Arrival at NATO Summit. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg greeted President Trump as he arrived at the NATO Summit headquarters in Brussels, Belgium:
https://www.c-span.org/video/?448269-1/president-trump-arrives-nato-summit

[sfwriter]

1. Because Trump is a coward . EOM

[sakabatou]

3. And a bully

[JaneQPublic]

6. Bully. Coward. ToMAYto, ToMAHto. (nt)

[Kber]

9. And an asshole

[iluvtennis]

2. Did Trump say the tone changed, if so, DON"T BELIEVE IT. We need to hear it from Merkel/her admin

[appalachiablue]

8. All I found, from German press- some info. until more news is available:

*After making nice with Angela Merkel at NATO summit, Donald Trump reignites spending spat on Twitter* DW, July 11.

After praising the US's relationship with Germany, President Donald Trump is accusing the country of skimping on its defense budget. Earlier in the day, he'd put on a smile while addressing reporters with Angela Merkel. Wednesday was a back-and-forth day in Brussels for US President Donald Trump, who was in town to eventually discuss NATO business with delegates from the trans-Atlantic alliance's 28 other member countries.

First he was mad at Germany, claiming that the country was "captive" to Russia for its concessions in pursuit of a controversial gas pipeline deal. Then, after a public rebuke from Angela Merkel and a sit-down session with the chancellor, the US president was singing a revised tune, saying the bond between the increasingly uneasy allies was bigger — more "tremendous" even — than any differences between the leaders...

Merkel was more reserved with her assessment, saying the United States and Germany are "good partners, and we wish to continue cooperating in the future." Once the chancellor was out of earshot, however, and the president was back on the Twitter, he seemed to have once more reappraised the situation, and Germany was in the wrong again. "What good is NATO if Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars for gas and energy?" Trump asked rhetorically..

Defense minister: Look at Germany's output. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels that Germany was "used" to Trump's criticisms and that the country could "cope" with his barbs. She admitted that his criticism of Germany's low spending on defense was fair, but appealed to his background as a businessman to consider the country's defense contribution in a wider light...https://www.dw.com/en/after-making-nice-with-angela-merkel-at-nato-summit-donald-trump-reignites-spending-spat-on-twitter/a-44626464

[appalachiablue]

10. BBC News, 6 hrs. ago. "Trump Nato: New war of words with Merkel"

Mr Trump said Germany was "totally controlled by Russia" because of the high level of natural gas it imported, and this was a "bad thing for Nato". Mrs Merkel hit back, comparing German independence now with the time when she grew up in the former East Germany. She also defended her country's contribution to the Western alliance.

The last summit both leaders attended ended in acrimony in a row over trade. Mr Trump later made more conciliatory remarks after he and Mrs Merkel had met on the sidelines of the summit in Brussels on Wednesday.
The summit comes less than a week before Mr Trump is due to hold his first summit with Vladimir Putin, in Helsinki, reviving concerns among US allies over his proximity to the Russian president.

◾Reality Check: How much of Germany's gas comes from Russia?
◾Can Nato survive Donald Trump?
◾What does the US contribute to Nato?

>President Trump shocked some by quipping that the Nato summit might prove harder than next Monday's summit with Mr Putin.. More, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44780489

[iluvtennis]

4. Boy, his BIGLY a** barely fits in that chair.

[thegoose]

5. We're talking in sentence fragments...we're voory voory good...

What a moron.

[livetohike]

7. So he criticizes her in front of all of their peers and

then makes nice when one on one. He's a jagoff. I hope she tore him a new one.

[Nitram]

11. Trump responds to public pressure when it's strong enough.

He always wants to be on the winning side.

[appalachiablue]

12. Adoration correct. I've known a few who would respond, to be liked...

Many narcissists crave admiration, approval and detest any criticism.

[Snellius]

13. That seems to be the consistent pattern. Tough guy pretending he's not really a frightened wimp.

Arrest all the crime-ridden refugee families. Kidnap their kids. Lock 'em all up. Oh, sorry, Laura Bush, is that a bad thing? My bad. Put them all back. Wherever they are. But they're still rapists and criminals. Those five-year-olds will all become members of MS-13.

[Hav]

14. Little boy

It's funny how he looks like a little school boy in the pics of that meeting, listening to the assessment of the teacher and promising to do better. Once she isn't there anymore, he feels tough again.

And yes, of course there are business relations between Russia and Germany. But because Russia provides around half of the gas which makes up around 10% of the total energy used, doesn't mean that Russia rules over Germany. These business relationships are just as much in their interests.

[iluvtennis]

15. Excellent analogy wrt to the school boy "big msn on campus"