The US President called Macron's "brain dead" NATO remarks "nasty," saying he could see Paris leaving the alliance. The remarks set the tone for what is expected to be another tense summit.
US President Donald Trump kicked off a tense two-day NATO summit on Tuesday by criticizing French President Emmanuel Macron's comment about the "brain death" of the military alliance.
What he said on NATO:
In a nearly hour-long press conference alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in London, Trump:
Called Macron's comments "nasty," "insulting," and "very dangerous" adding that: "Nobody needs NATO more than France."
Denied US ties with the military alliance are shaky but said that he could "see France breaking off" from NATO.
Said Russia "wants to make a deal" on nuclear control and arms control — and that he wants to bring in China into the talks.
Reiterated his call for European partners to increase defense spending — calling out Germany in particular for falling short.
'No deadline' on China trade deal
Trump suggested that a long-awaited trade deal with China would have to wait until after the next US presidential election in November 2020 — with no end currently in sight to the ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing.
"I have no deadline, no. In some ways I think I think it's better to wait until after the election with China," he told reporters.
European share prices, US stock index futures and the Chinese yuan currency fell following his remarks.
