Trump’s Pushy Approach Toward NATO Shows Member Countries Who is Boss

President Donald Trump is not content to let other heads of state run roughshod over his authority. This fact was evident during yesterday’s gathering at the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) where Trump shoved other leaders aside and told them to pay up!

Trump is currently abroad on the first international trip of his Presidency, and stopped in Brussels yesterday to join other world leaders at NATO headquarters. Although Trump has softened on NATO and no longer calls for their dissolution, Trump has not abandoned hardline rhetoric toward the organization completely. Dusko Markovic, Montenegro’s prime minister, felt the wrath of Trump personally as he was abruptly shoved aside by the President before a photo op.

Markovic downplayed the incident. He said, “This was an inoffensive situation. I do not see it in any other way… I want to tell you that it is natural for the president of the United States to be in the first row.”

That wasn’t the only time when Trump ruffled globalist feathers during his stay in Brussels. Trump also revived a popular talking point that he utilized to get elected last year. Trump told the majority of NATO member nations that they are not doing enough to pay for defense, and it is time for those countries to pick up the slack.

“Members of the alliance must finally contribute their fair share and meet their financial obligations,” Trump said to the heads of NATO member countries during an uneasy public display. “Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they are supposed to be paying for their defense. This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States.”

Although Trump has effectively buried many of the “America First” promises that energized voters on the campaign trail last year, there are still glimmers of hope that he can rekindle the lost magic as President. Trump’s trip to NATO shows that he may not have forgotten about his anti-globalist mandate after all.