Trump’s visit comes amid ongoing quarrels over defense spending by NATO allies and widespread anxiety over the president’s commitment to the alliance.
ADVERTISEMENTQueen Elizabeth will host NATO leaders at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, including U.S. President Donald Trump landed who landed in London late on Monday evening.
Trump’s visit comes amid ongoing quarrels over defense spending by NATO allies and widespread anxiety over the president’s commitment to the alliance.
He said his trip would be focused on “fighting for the American people.”
Trump has repeatedly criticized fellow NATO members and complained that too few nations are on track to meet the alliance goal of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense by 2024.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently lamented that a lack of U.S. leadership was causing the “brain death” of the alliance.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who has warned that a second Trump term could mean NATO's effective dissolution, jokingly said Monday that he'd "say a prayer" as the president heads to London.
"There's time for redemption," Biden told reporters as he campaigned in Emmetsburg, Iowa. "But so far he's treated NATO like it's a protection racket."