Trump congratulates the Baltic countries for meeting NATO's 2%-of-GDP-on-defence spending target, chides other NATO countries for not doing so, notes that the US has always recognized their national independence even during Soviet occupation.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite says she joked with Trump that they need leadership, "even unpredictable leadership," to make sure NATO allies are investing in defence. "We see this kind of leadership in President Trump," she says.
Trump calls on Reuters for the one American question. Reporter asks about the future of the US presence in Syria and also what he meant by troops on the Mexican border.
"We don't have laws," Trump says of U.S. immigration laws. He says Canada and Mexico have laws. He says, "We are preparing for the military to secure our border...we have a meeting on it in a little while with General Mattis and everybody." No details.
Trump calls NAFTA a "horrible, horrible, embarrassing deal for the United States." He falsely claims the $69 billion trade deficit with Mexico is a deficit of "over $100 billion."
Trump says he'll be making a decision on Syria very soon. He said he told Saudi Arabia, "Well, you want us to stay, maybe you're going to have to pay."
Trump advocates a war crime again, saying the U.S. should have plundered Iraqi oil.
For the 10th time in office, Trump falsely says the U.S. has now spent $7 trillion since 9/11 on Middle East wars. He has taken a Brown University estimate of $4.3 trillion ($5.6 trillion including estimated future costs) and added at least $1.4 trillion.
Trump says Baltic countries are "very, very industrious."
Asked for his views by a Baltic reporter, Trump says Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are all "great places to invest," though he jokes he has a slight conflict of interest as American president.
"Nobody's been tougher on Russia than I have...everyone agrees when they think about it," he says.
He says Hillary Clinton, whom he calls "my opponent," was into windmills, while he likes exporting oil.
He says Hillary Clinton, whom he calls "my opponent," was into windmills, while he likes exporting oil.
Trump falsely says NATO countries were "delinquent" and not paying their bills before he was president. This isn't how NATO works. Some were not meeting the NATO guideline of spending 2% of GDP on defence; they didn't owe any debt to NATO.
Trump says it'd be "great" to have a good relationship with Russia and with Putin, but that might not happen. "Whooo knows," he concludes.
Trump insults the American media in advising one of the Baltic presidents to select the next reporter: "You can pick a reporter. A Baltic reporter, ideally. Real news, not fake news."
Trump concludes by saying, "I am very impressed with these three great Baltic nations and these three great presidents."
Summary:
- Trump says he wants troops out of Syria but maybe Saudi can pay to keep 'em there
- Trump says he wants troops on Mex border, won't say what he means
- Trump supports war crime of taking Iraqi oil
- Trump insults US media, Clinton
- Trump says false things about things
- Trump says he wants troops out of Syria but maybe Saudi can pay to keep 'em there
- Trump says he wants troops on Mex border, won't say what he means
- Trump supports war crime of taking Iraqi oil
- Trump insults US media, Clinton
- Trump says false things about things
