One day after Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, criticized Donald Trump's recent decisions by saying, "With such friends, what need is there for an enemy?", the U.S. President stated on Thursday, May 17, that "they can call me whatever they want," but Europe has behaved "terribly" towards the U.S. in trade. Trump, speaking to reporters during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, reiterated the negative trade balance the U.S. has with Europe and the barriers faced by American agricultural and automotive products, stating, "We have lost $151 billion in trade with the European Union. They can call me whatever they want... but this situation will not continue." European officials have strongly criticized recent decisions made by the Trump administration, including the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the imposition of trade tariffs on European Union steel and aluminum exports. Donald Tusk, before the start of the European leaders' summit in Sofia, remarked that Trump's recent decisions show that Europe must "wake up from its illusions" and rely on itself. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, also criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, stating that its cancellation poses a "threat to security and peace" in a chaotic region, and Europe will use all "tools and resources" at its disposal to preserve this agreement. However, Trump emphasized on Thursday that he knows Tusk and Juncker well but that the U.S. has suffered significant losses in trade with Europe. Trump also criticized NATO countries for not adhering to the "2% budget" rule, which mandates that member countries allocate 2% of their GDP to military spending. He pointed out that "23 out of 28 NATO members have not yet paid their share," calling the 2% figure "low." In response, Stoltenberg said that Trump's insistence on increasing financial contributions from members has a "negative impact" on these countries. The annual NATO leaders' summit is scheduled to take place on July 11 in Brussels, where Trump is expected to attend for the second time. Additionally, Trump criticized the negative trade balance with China, stating that "China and Europe have become spoiled." His remarks come as a Chinese economic delegation is in Washington to negotiate with U.S. officials.
Trump Responds to European Council President's Remarks: They Can Call Me Whatever They Want
Donald Trump responded to European Council President Donald Tusk's criticism of his administration's recent decisions, asserting that Europe has treated the U.S. poorly in trade. Trump emphasized the significant trade losses the U.S. has incurred with Europe and criticized NATO members for not meeting their military spending commitments. This exchange highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Europe regarding trade and defense spending.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Donald Trump responded to European criticism of his trade policies and NATO spending demands, asserting that Europe has treated the U.S. unfairly in trade. European leaders criticized Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA and imposition of tariffs.
- Trump criticized Europe's trade practices and NATO spending.
- European leaders condemned the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers, which the U.S. withdrew from in 2018, causing international controversy.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%