So much for Trump’s lawyers gaining control over the president’s tweeting habits.
Just three after the Italian G-7 meeting ended in an unprecedented lack of consensus over the Paris climate deal, prompting Angela Merkel to announce one day later that Germany can no longer “completely rely” on the US, Trump escalated the dispute with Germany over trade and defense while the German Chancellor met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a demonstration of her ability to pivot from the U.S. to strengthen alternative global alliances.
“We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military,” Trump said in his first tweet on Tuesday. “Very bad for U.S. This will change”
We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017
Trump’s tweet came minutes after Merkel and Modi held a joint press conference in Berlin, at which the German leader sent a very clear message to the US, calling India a “reliable partner with respect to big projects.” That contrasted with her Sunday comments at a Munich rally that reliable trans-Atlantic ties that formed the basis of German foreign policy since World War II “are to some extent over.”
Merkel and Modi stressed their mutual values on the economy and climate change, with the Indian leader suggesting he will adhere to the Paris Agreement to combat global warming even if the U.S. quits. He praised Merkel’s experience and Germany’s economic example to India.
“We are meant for each other,” Modi said.
In the same vein, on Monday Germany’s foreign minister Sigma Gabriel, called Trump’s policies “short-sighted,” saying they stand against the European Union’s interests.
“Anyone who accelerates climate change by weakening environmental protection, who sells more weapons in conflict zones and who does not want to politically resolve religious conflicts is putting peace in Europe at risk,” Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday. “The West has become smaller, at least it has become weaker.”
In a follow up tweet, Trump said Russian officials are likely “laughing” at the U.S. amid continuing reports related to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race.
“Russian officials must be laughing at the U.S. & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News,” Trump tweeted shortly after his German-bashing tweet.
Russian officials must be laughing at the U.S. & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017
Trump’s latest comments come after reports last week that son in law and senior aide Jared Kushner in December sought to establish a backchannel line of communication between the Trump transition team and Moscow. The move came during a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The FBI is looking at meetings that Kushner held with Kislyak and Russian banking executive Sergey Gorkov in December as part of the law enforcement investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
The tweet also came out at the same time as news broke that Trump’s communications director, Mike Dubke, has resigned from the White House.
Featured image: Infowars
