Trump won't rule out ceasing military exercises if Putin asks
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump capped off his dramatic appearance at the annual NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday by teasing another controversial possibility, saying he would not rule out ceasing NATO military exercises in the Baltic States if Russian leader Vladimir Putin requested it during their upcoming meeting in Helsinki, Finland.
Asked if he would cancel them, Trump said, "Perhaps we'll talk about that," referring to Putin, a response that has only fueled the the growing uncertainty over the state of the alliance.
Despite Trump's barrage of acidic rhetoric during the summit, diplomats said the President never explicitly threatened to leave NATO and it remains unclear whether he has the power to do so without Senate approval.
However, Trump's comments about possibly canceling NATO military exercises at Putin's request have amplified fears among European leaders that the President could undermine the alliance by making major unilateral concessions to the Russian President -- who he again referred to as a "competitor" rather than an adversary on Thursday.
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Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/politics/trump-nato-military-exercises/index.html
underpants
(182,803 posts)I wouldn't be surprised if something was initiated while sitting face to face with Trump.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)Even recently. Most here repudiate me.
Oh, can't happen.
right..
Jedi Guy
(3,190 posts)Everyone laughed at Mitt Romney when he said Russia was our greatest strategic challenge in the coming years. Eerily prescient, at least on this one issue. On the rest, he was unsurprisingly wide of the mark.
Russia is most definitely a bad actor, and we've got a guy in the White House who's practically chomping at the bit to give away the keys to the shop. I wouldn't have believed it possible, but here we are...
pangaia
(24,324 posts)ancianita
(36,055 posts)uponit7771
(90,339 posts)... everything that went wrong with the USSR on the west in an INFOWAR like CT mindset.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)dalton99a
(81,488 posts)Heck, he'll do it without being asked
iluvtennis
(19,858 posts)uponit7771
(90,339 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,001 posts)Trump gives gifts to his peers (dictators) and flaming bags of dogshit to allies.
Drake Notthesinger
(39 posts)I fully expect BDSM to surface after Helsinki, with Putin as the "upper," of course!
Solly Mack
(90,767 posts)I won't type out what I want.
BigmanPigman
(51,593 posts)If it is anything even close to what I have been visualizing I imagine we want the same thing.
Solly Mack
(90,767 posts)I still want what I want though.
BigmanPigman
(51,593 posts)option at this point. The gloves are off!
alfredo
(60,071 posts)Solly Mack
(90,767 posts)That's why I like you.
alfredo
(60,071 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)Just. . . fuck.
Solly Mack
(90,767 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,001 posts)IronLionZion
(45,442 posts)he'll send tanks and heavy bombers
highplainsdem
(48,978 posts)keithbvadu2
(36,806 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)malthaussen
(17,195 posts)... our troops need to be indoctrinated in the New Order.
-- Mal