President Donald Trump on Tuesday attacked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and offered up support for the British foreign minister who resigned ahead of a trip to NATO headquarters and the U.K.
‘UP TO THE PEOPLE’ WHETHER TO REPLACE THERESA MAY
Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One, Trump said the U.K. situation was one with turmoil. Several ministers, notably Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, quit over a disagreement on how the country should leave the European Union.
Trump said he hasn’t talked to British Prime Minister Theresa May since the resignations and didn’t offer an endorsement when asked if she should be replaced. “Well that’s up to the people. I get along with her very well. That’s certainly up to the people,” he said.
He was glowing toward Johnson. “Boris Johnson is a friend of mine. He’s been very, very supportive and very nice to me. Maybe I’ll speak to him when I get over there,” Trump said of the former London mayor.
Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with the news media, with First Lady Melania Trump standing beside him, before boarding Marine One for travel to Europe from the White House.NATO IS TOUGHER TOPIC FOR TRUMP THAN RUSSIA
The president made clear he looked forward to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. “So I have NATO, I have the U.K. — that’s a situation with turmoil. And I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of all,” he said. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has charged 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities with interfering in U.S. elections, largely on behalf of Trump.
He declined to label Putin a friend or foe, calling him a “competitor” instead. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s a competitor. I think that getting along with Russia, getting along with China, is a good thing.”
On NATO, which exists in large part to defend countries from the threat posed by Russia, Trump said the U.S. was being “taken advantage of by the European Union.”
NO ABORTION TALK WITH KAVANAUGH
In picking the justice who could be the swing vote in deciding whether to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, Trump said he did not discuss abortion with his nominee, Circuit Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh. “No, I haven’t. I really haven’t,” Trump said.
Related: Trump set to make Supreme Court even more pro-business with Kavanaugh pick
He said Kavanaugh got “great reviews, actually from both sides.” Three Democratic senators voted for Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, but none have come forward in support of Kavanaugh as yet.
