Trump Says He's Cool with Losing Support in EU

TEHRAN (defapress)- US President Donald Trump defended his "America first" approach in relations with Europe, stating that it was his job to make Europeans pay more for defense, which his critics at home say has undermined his popularity across the Atlantic.

News ID: 74738

Date: 03 January 2019 - 16:02

"When they say I'm not popular in Europe, I shouldn't be popular in Europe", Trump told reporters on Wednesday, RIA Novosti reported.

"If I was popular in Europe, I wouldn't be doing my job," he added.

During his two years in office, Trump has clashed with Washington's trans-Atlantic allies over immigration, defence spending, trade barriers, the environment, Russia's gas pipeline and the Iran nuclear deal. He says he is well-aware that Europeans lack faith in him, but still believes that he could be "the most popular person in Europe".

Trump has claimed that EU members take advantage of his country with respect to trade and defence, and has called on them to boost military spending, including within the framework of NATO.

"Germany pays 1 percent", he said, referring to Berlin's defence spending, which was estimated at 1.2 percent of GDP last year.

"They should be paying 4 percent. They're paying 1 percent. They should be paying even more than that. Other countries pay a small percentage of what they should be paying. So, when I say I'm sorry, folks, you have to pay up, I shouldn't be popular in Europe," he stressed.

The Trump administration strained its relations with its European allies following the introduction of import tariffs on aluminium and steel in June 2018 — a move widely criticised by the leaders of France, Germany, and the UK.

Trump has also schooled his NATO allies from the European Union for what he said was not sticking to their spending commitments.

"The United States is spending far more on NATO than any other country. This is not fair, nor is it acceptable," he said in July, adding, "While these countries have been increasing their contributions since I took office, they must do much more."

Additionally, Trump bashed Berlin for constructing Nord Stream 2, a pipeline stretching from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea, and threatened to sanction European firms investing in the project.

Another spark that caught flak from Brussels was the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump announced last May. The remaining signatories of the accord, including Germany, France and the UK, have condemned his move and vowed to uphold their commitment to the deal.

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