Posted on 11/29/2019 8:56:53 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
President Trump will urge European allies to spend more on defense and repel Chinas cheap money during the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations meeting in London next week.
Senior administration officials also expect Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to get an earful from NATO partners for purchasing an air-defense system from Russia an antagonist of the alliance that has shown disregard for its neighbors sovereignty.
Mr. Trump, who departs Washington for the meeting Monday, tends to ruffle feathers at these types of summits.
He often complains that allies dont spend enough of their own money on mutual defense, though senior administration officials say he dishes tough love because he wants to bolster their collective might.
This is the most successful alliance in history, a senior administration official said Friday in a preview of Mr. Trumps trip.
Officials said Mr. Trump has been spectacularly successful in getting countries to spend at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense. Nine allies are now spending that share compared to just four in 2016 and administration officials expect to see at 18 countries hit the mark by 2024.
Notably missing from Mr. Trumps three-day itinerary is a bilateral meeting with the summits host, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
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