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For starters, Trump doesn't seem to even comprehend the mutual defense pact that is the foundation of NATO. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/world/europe/tru

For starters, Trump doesn't seem to even comprehend the mutual defense pact that is the foundation of NATO. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/world/europe/trump-nato-self-defense-montenegro.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/world/europe/trump-nato-s... Apart from that, he was generally a source of chaos at the 2018 NATO summit, 1) demanding that NATO allies increase per-GDP spending ahead of schedule or the US would "go it alone" (and hijacking a meeting already in progress to make these demands), 2) accusing Germany of being "totally controlled" by Russia, 3) and giving a parallel-reality final press conference touting that NATO partners had agreed to significant increases in spending (which said partners denied). https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/12/how-trumps-nato-summit-meltdown-unfolded https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/12/how-trumps-n...

vxNsr 8y ago
The NYT article is more about him questioning why we should do it, he seemed to understand what mutual defense is, just that he didn't want to commit to it. If you recall the parable of the elephant and the mouse, Trump doesn't see the value of the mouse and thus doesn't wanna commit to helping it without question. at least that's what I gleaned from the article. There is a difference between being "a source of chaos" and actual sabotage of alliances. 1) Still doesn't seem that unfair of a demand. 2) You gotta admit that he had a point that using Russia as a source for oil kinda undermines independence. We ran into the same thing in the 70's, it sucked. 3) Classic Trump. but not sabotage.