After the calamity of the Putin meeting and the disingenuous, ineffective attempt at damage control, President Trump today attempted to direct attention back to his recent NATO meeting.\u00a0 He boastfully, but without supporting evidence, asserted incredible success in Brussels.\u00a0 Well of course he did.\u00a0 President Trump continued to push two significant NATO falsehoods:\u00a0 That he \u201cbrought in\u201d over 40 billion dollars owed to NATO and that the NATO leaders all left Brussels with the strongest relations.\u00a0 Then he went to Finland and actively worked against U.S. and NATO security interests.<\/p>\n
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President Trump is simply wrong when he claims the U.S. pays 90% of all NATO costs.\u00a0 He is also incorrect when he claims that he personally brought in over 40 billion dollars in \u201cdelinquent\u201d debts from NATO countries.\u00a0 Just put these statements on the list\u2026\u00a0 At its formation, NATO members agreed to a target of spending 2% of their GDP on defense.\u00a0 Every president has had to pressure at least some members to do a better job meeting the target.\u00a0 While it is true that most NATO members increased their spending, this trend began a few years ago, before Trump became President, and has simply continued.\u00a0 It is important to note, contrary to the President\u2019s statements, this is not money \u201ccoming in\u201d to NATO.\u00a0 This issue involves member nations\u2019 domestic defense spending, some of which results in weapons purchases from U.S. defense contractors (hence his real interest).\u00a0 It is not money \u201cowed\u201d to NATO coffers.\u00a0 Europe is second only to the U.S. in military spending.\u00a0 There was no crisis\u2026<\/p>\n
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Additionally, President Trump foolishly believed that after days of his bullying, berating, and ludicrous behavior, these respectable leaders left Brussels not only with positive feelings, but with the strongest relations of all time.\u00a0 Let\u2019s ask Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister Teresa May, President Emanuel Macron, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, some of our most important, steadfast allies and friends, who have been on the receiving end of some extremely unprofessional and counter-productive, not to mention inaccurate and unfair, Trump attacks.\u00a0 What about the leaders of some of the newer members from smaller countries that Trump treated like they were his pet goldfish.\u00a0 At least there was no noticeable pushing this year.\u00a0 In all seriousness, these leaders represent our closest friends and allies, nations with whom we have partnered to defend democracy and freedom for many years.\u00a0 There will be disagreements and sometimes these challenges may be contentious.\u00a0 However, as allies, we conduct relations with respect, decorum, and with unyielding commitment to our collective defense.<\/p>\n
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During his meeting with Vladimir Putin, President Trump claimed they discussed multiple important issues, although as of today the administration has not offered any statement of what was discussed or any agreements or results thereof.\u00a0 Russia reported there was an agreement for a new international security arrangement and a new military strategy in Syria.\u00a0 These ominous statements do not bode well for long-term, widely accepted U.S. policy.\u00a0 What exactly did Trump and Putin discuss in their two-hour secret meeting?\u00a0 What is the impact on NATO from this alleged new international security arrangement and what are we giving Russia therein (e.g., which neighboring countries now face even more serious peril?)?<\/p>\n
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According to reports, the Russian military in Syria is already preparing to reposition in accordance with this mysterious new agreement.\u00a0 These reports allege the U.S. military will retreat from territory in eastern Syria, foregoing hard-fought victories in which lives were lost.\u00a0 Keep in mind several months ago Russian forces attacked U.S. forces there, despite being significantly outnumbered, and the U.S. forces soundly defeated them.\u00a0 Trump did nothing in response.\u00a0 Neither of these new developments seem to be in our best interest.\u00a0 The Trump administration needs to reveal the results of this meeting, specifically concerning these issues.\u00a0 Congress has oversight and funding responsibilities.\u00a0 They must immediately conduct hearings with administration officials to learn what happened and to what the U.S. may have agreed. \u00a0We simply cannot trust anything the President says, especially on such critical national security issues.<\/p>\n
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It is shameful that President Trump\u2019s extraordinary pattern of dishonesty is so noteworthy that there is scientific data that has measured it.\u00a0 In his first 18 months in office (putting aside the campaign and before), the President steadily escalated his pattern of deceit to the American people.\u00a0 The data shows he averaged 5 lies per week in his first months in office and after 18 months in office averages 40 lies per week, with the weekly average climbing at a steady rate over that time.\u00a0 The lies are found in speeches, interviews, tweets, etc., which leads to the conclusion that Trump cannot prevent himself from lying when he speaks regardless of forum or preparation.\u00a0 Nor can we trust anything he says.\u00a0 This data was reported separately by the Toronto Star and MSNBC.<\/p>\n
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Despite full employment for independent fact-checking services, this dishonesty is wholly intolerable, and we should demand better from any leader. \u00a0The country cannot afford a president who not only regularly lies to the public, but also who humiliates himself by lying to our friends and allies, thus seriously degrading necessary relations.\u00a0 These secret, mystery arrangements with Russia would likely destabilize U.S. and NATO interests, at least as reported thus far.\u00a0 NATO has worked for over 70 years through the system of collective defense, trade, and economics.\u00a0 The feared Russian military attack never came.\u00a0 Yet President Trump has nothing but disdain for NATO and is working to weaken if not terminate the alliance.\u00a0 No more lies, NATO need\u2019s firm commitment and dedication along with a solid voice in opposition to growing Russian aggression and interference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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