Posted on 06/24/2025 11:26:59 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Trump is heading to NATO for a trip lasting barely a day. It’s the pattern of his second term — attend international meetings, but don’t stay long.
President Donald Trump left last week’s G-7 gathering in Canada a day early. This week he is scheduled to arrive at a NATO summit in The Hague for an abbreviated trip, arriving Tuesday and returning to the White House by Wednesday.
Later this year, he may skip the G-20 in South Africa altogether.
Trump has a long history of brushing off global summits — and, sometimes, physically brushing off the leaders who attend them.
In his first term, he attended the meetings, but routinely showcased his displeasure about them with mean tweets and open obstinacy.
This time around, his emerging pattern has been to go, but keep his attendance brief.
Trump is a man of contradictions, and so is his attitude toward international summits. They provide him a world stage from which to perform. They contain trappings of power that he prefers, including opulent settings with majestic views.
Yet he has to share the stage with other world leaders. The meetings themselves are venues for disagreement and debate, and there are aspects that are outside of his control. And he prefers bilateral meetings, not those where he might be ganged up on by a Group of Seven, a Group of 20, or the NATO alliance.
“It’s not like he’s a homebody. He likes when there’s a big focus on him,” said Michael O’Hanlon, director of research in the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution. “I think he enjoys the stage. But it’s got to have a purpose he believes in, and a purpose to the conversation, not just sitting and singing kumbaya.”
At NATO, O’Hanlon added, “He doesn’t want to be around for...”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
There’s really not much to talk about with NATO at the moment. They faced no external threats except for their mass immigration lunacy. Their war with Russia is completely elective. No reason to waste a lot of time and money dealing with those idiots.
Doesn’t want any more bone-crusher bruising from hand wrestling with Macron.
“””Doesn’t want any more bone-crusher bruising from hand wrestling with Macron.”””
President Trump is maybe concerned that Macrons wife/mommy will punch him like she did to her boytoy.
I’d also want to minimize time with a group of Woke Socialist Elitists.
Certainly to Trump’s credit that they’re not his cup of tea.
As long as the doors are kept closed at all times, it’s OK.
I guess the bottom line is that he wants NATO to pony up, and pay their fair share of Defense costs. They know that, now it is up to them.
Even though President Trump will be on the ground there (NATO Summit) for a short time, he is reportedly carving out time for a meeting with President Zelensky this afternoon on Arms purchases, and sanctions on Russia.
Trump is at heart a businessman, and he has the businessman’s disdain for pointless meetings when there is real work to be done.
When you are the leader of the free world... You need to lead, not follow.
Consultations are fine, but at the end of the day the leader always makes the decision. Running the world by committee is not an option.
It may be that this is what America First looked like. 😉🇺🇸
LEAD
FOLLOW
OR GET THE H OUT OF MY WAY
What a disgrace to a person’s resume, writing for the Washington Post.
President Trump hates fakers...
Only successful businessmen have such disdain.
President Donald Trump began his first — and only — full day at the NATO summit with a breakfast courtesy of the Dutch king and queen.
Trump had stayed overnight at the Huis Ten Bosch palace at the invitation of Dutch King Willem-Alexander. Only a still photographer was allowed to witness the meal on behalf of the White House press corps.
“The day begins in the beautiful Netherlands,” Trump posted on his social media account later Wednesday morning. “The King and Queen are beautiful and spectacular people. Our breakfast meeting was great! Now it’s off to the very important NATO Meetings. The USA will be very well represented!”
President Trump arriving.... amongst all of the NATO FreeLoaders . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGHUWPK5lnE
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