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Their sacrifice during the Normandy landings allowed to buy 75 years of freedom and prosperity in Europe and made America the world's leading power and the guardian of Western democracy.
During the three days of the British President built around the D Day celebrations, it became clear that his interlocutors hoped that he would better understand how the US commitment and the common sacrifice had built up an age of one year. post-war that had benefited millions of people, but was now threatened by external forces – and incredibly, from the President of the United States himself.
Queen Elizabeth II, British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel all insisted on the need to maintain growing alliances under the pressure of internal populist forces and increasing competition in the East.
"After the shared sacrifices of the Second World War, Britain and the United States collaborated with other allies to set up an badembly of international institutions to ensure that the horrors of the Conflict will not happen again, "said the Queen, one of the few state leaders still alive who remembers the Second World War.
"As the world has changed, we always keep in mind the initial goal of these structures: countries working together to preserve a hard-won peace," she added.
The President has heard the calls. But the question now must be to know if he understood the message and he will understand the deep concerns expressed in Europe by his conduct and his rhetoric.
Trump, with his "America First" rhetoric, made it clear that he believed that the sovereignty of nations defending their own interests should form the basis of international relations rather than formal multilateral institutions. This does not preclude alliances, but is a more flexible affiliation than the interdependent model preferred by many European leaders.
In a moving speech to the service, Trump chose to dwell more on the stories of the impressive courage and self-sacrifice of American soldiers thousands of miles from home – rather than dealing with historical points and arguments advanced geopolitics by its European counterparts. .
"You are the glory of our republic and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," said Trump at the Normandy cemetery in northern France.
"You are among the greatest Americans who will ever live," said Trump.
But the president has also offered strong support to the transatlantic alliance – in a way that could help ease worries on the European side of the ocean about his attitude towards the United States. American alliances.
"Our darling alliance has been forged in the heat of the moment, put to the test by the trials of war and the blessings of peace," said Trump on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
"Our bond is indestructible," said Trump.
The European trend at Trump School presents risks because it is not one to take conferences kindly and does not support the impression that its leadership led by guts is being managed. As proof, consider the tense relations he had with former Cabinet members such as James Mattis and Rex Tillerson.
There is also little evidence that Trump's flattery with other world leaders is particularly effective in persuading him to get rid of particular, deep-rooted beliefs – even those that confuse facts and logic.
"I have just a reminder for the media: it's also your president," she said. "This is our president, this is our country, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
"This is the time when we should celebrate our president, the great achievements of America, and I do not think the American people like this constant negativity.We should sometimes elevate our president, especially when he is abroad . "
The ambivalence of a president
Europeans see the Transatlantic Alliance as an indispensable structure for ensuring their security and extending the three-quarters century of freedom and market economy.
Trump's ambivalence comes at a particularly sensitive geopolitical moment, as powers such as China and Russia challenge the West-led order and offer alternative development models to strong leaders who reject universal values.
Unique among post-Cold War presidents, Trump has abandoned the traditional vision of NATO and the European Union as institutions that reinforce the rule-driven the United States and multiply the American power.
The former real estate mogul takes a more transactional view of these bodies, making inflexible calculations on the material performance of US investment – in strictly financial terms.
Many presidents have realized that the allies have not shared the burden of the NATO umbrella and that many have failed to meet their own defense spending targets.
But Trump is the only commander-in-chief to make these complaints a principle of foreign policy organization – a strategy that is reflected in his attitude towards Asian allies, Japan and South Korea.
Trump, deliberately or by omission, is often unaware that the defense spending target of NATO members – 2% of their gross domestic product – does not constitute a payment of dues to the alliance.
Trump has made several attempts to badert the principle of mutual self-defense of NATO. His reluctant attitude has hardly dispelled concerns about his attitude towards the group.
The spirit of Trump, which revolves around constant win-lose badessments, does not work that way.
In the past, he particularly hesitated at conferences on alliance solidarity given by German Merkel – perhaps his least favorite leader of a great European power.
Trump was exasperated by the fact that Germany, Europe's leading economic powerhouse, has not yet reached its 2% spending target. His critics often insult the Germans, given the still raw sensibility of militarism in the country 74 years after the end of the Nazi era.
Trump and Merkel had a brief meeting Wednesday in Portsmouth, in southern England, where she attended the eve of the D-Day events – to show how European fractures were healed in the world. post-war fed by American leaders.
She told reporters that the invasion "demanded incredible sacrifices from hundreds of thousands of soldiers … This led to something we can be proud of today, namely reconciliation. , unification within Europe, but also all the post-war order that has now brought us peace (for more than seven decades ".
Trump's advocates say he's not opposed to it all – he just wants everyone to pay his fair share to keep it going – a point the president has again struck when meeting May on Tuesday. .
"To meet the challenges of today, all members of the alliance must meet their obligations and they have no choice. discharge their obligation, "repeated the President, to emphasize its importance.
The White House has also posted new deployments of US troops in Western Europe as evidence of its allegiance to the alliance.
"A liberation as few people have seen it"
With the approach of the D-Day commemorations, when more than 160,000 Allied soldiers crossed the English Channel within the greatest force of invasion of history, Trump expressed his admiration for the The magnitude of the task to be accomplished by the armies of the allies.
"It was a liberation as few people have seen it before, among them were more than 130,000 American and British arms brothers." Through their value and sacrifices, they have secured our countries and saved freedom for the world ".
But his fellow Allied presidents and prime ministers will hold their breath to see how Trump will interpret Thursday's D-day lessons and adapt them to his own worldview.
"Thanks in part to your clear message on burden sharing, Donald, we have seen members promise an additional $ 100 billion, increasing their contributions to our shared security," said May.
The British leader has also tried a new tactic – trying to impress Trump, who loves new equipment, with the new British capabilities put into service despite years of reduced military budgets.
"I am pleased to announce that NATO will soon be able to call on British aircraft carriers and UK F-35 fighter jets to help address global threats." said May.
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