President Donald Trump just wrapped up a 35-minute long press conference at the conclusion of the NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium.
On NATO:
BRUSSELS (AP) — Trump says he told allies he was 'extremely unhappy' with defense spending, claims 'substantially' upped commitment.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) July 12, 2018
Trump says "ultimately" the 2 percent of GDP defense spending goal among NATO allies "that will be going up."
Stoltenberg said yesterday that's unlikely.
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) July 12, 2018
Trump: "The United States commitment to NATO remains very strong."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
"I think NATO is much stronger now than it was two days ago….We were carrying too much of a burden," Trump says.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
President Trump: "I think I can probably" pull out of NATO without Congress's approval.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
Trump: "I said ultimately, we should be at 4 percent" of GDP for defense spending.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
On his negotiations with NATO:
President Trump on his rhetoric at NATO: "I think this has been a very effective way of negotiating."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
Trump answering a question about whether he will be tweeting about NATO once he leaves: "I am a very stable genius."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
Context for the “stable genius” line:
Donald Trump is asked whether he'll be saying one thing at NATO and tweeting another after he departs.
The president says he won't, adding: "I'm a very stable genius." https://t.co/nFDJtEndRK pic.twitter.com/hh2KDHAMJY
— Bloomberg (@business) July 12, 2018
On Germany:
"I have great respect for Germany. My father is from Germany," replies @POTUS to @JDiamond1.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) July 12, 2018
On Russia and Putin:
Trump on Putin: “He’s a competitor. Somebody was saying is he an enemy? He’s not my enemy. Is he your friend? No, I don’t know him very much. But the couple of times I’ve met him, we’ve gotten along well…. Hopefully, someday, maybe he’ll be a friend. It could happen."
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 12, 2018
"I hope that we are going to be able to get along with Russia," Trump says.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
President Trump: NATO together is much stronger an going at it with countries alone. "I am very concerned with the pipeline. I don't like the pipelne." Adds that he will be asking about Russian election meddling.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
President Trump says NATO allies "thanked" him for meeting with Russia. "They gave us their best wishes…It could lead to something very productive. Maybe it's not. I think meeting with people is great."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
And he brought the jokes:
President Trump being sarcastic while answering question about best goal for Putin meeting: No more wars. No more problems…Let's find a cure for every disease.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
On protests in London:
“I think they like me a lot in the UK,” @realDonaldTrump says, downplaying expected protests in London, adding that he believes Britain is behind him on immigration. He calls the UK “a hot spot,” given governing crisis for Prime Minister May in wake of Brexit.
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) July 12, 2018
On China and trade:
President Trump at NATO says he think trade war with China will ultimately work out.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
On Iraq:
President Trump: "I have spent a great fortune in Iraq…We have already been talking the people who won that election…We will do the best we can with it."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
On Africa:
President Trump at #NATOSummit: "We are looking for peace in Africa…We want peace all over…We are looking to solve problems…What's going on in Africa, it's so sad."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 12, 2018
Oh, and he talked about the 2016 election but he again said, incorrectly, that Reagan didn’t win Wisconsin in 1984:
.@morningmika & @JoeNBC fact-check the president's claims about President Reagan and Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/NMu7Qj9h7j
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) July 12, 2018
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