US President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel for refusing to pay her “fair share” for defense, during an intense 30-minute meeting they had in his office in Washington.
Trump said he told Merkel during her visit to Washington on Friday that it was “essential” for Germany to meet the goal that the NATO has set that each member spend at least two percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on its own defense each year.
“All member states must honor their commitment to two percent, and hopefully much more, of GDP, on defense,” he added.
Trump said that they also “talked about the security of Europe and the responsibility of European nations to properly contribute to their own defense.”
“NATO is wonderful, but it helps Europe more than it helps us, and why are we paying the vast majority of the costs?” he asked.
Merkel, who has so far refused to meet the goal, said Berlin would spend 1.3 percent in…