*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to a Breakfast With Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels, Belgium **

*July 11, 2018 *

*President Trump.* Good morning, everybody.

*Q. *Good morning.* *

*North Atlantic Treaty Organization *

*Q. *What's your message to each other?

*President Trump.* We have a very good relationship. Because of me, they've raised about $40 billion over the last year. So I think the Secretary General likes Trump.

*Secretary General Stoltenberg*. We will——

*President Trump*. He may be the only one, but that's okay with me.

*Secretary General Stoltenberg.* We will discuss how we can make this summit a success, showing that Europe and North America are standing together. And we will continue to focus on defense spending, because, as the President just said, NATO allies have to invest—has to invest more in defense, and that's not exactly what they're doing. So that will be the main topic, is to discuss how we can make further progress on burden-sharing the alliance.

*President Trump.* Over the last year, about $40 billion more has been given by other countries to help NATO, but that's not nearly enough. The United States is paying far too much, and other countries are not paying enough, especially some. So we're going to have a meeting on that. And the Secretary General has worked very hard on that. He understands the problem. And hopefully, we can get it resolved. This has been going on for decades. For decades. And it's disproportionate and not fair to the taxpayers of the United States, and we're going to make it fair. So that'll be it.

And I want to just compliment the Secretary General. He's worked very hard on this problem. He understands it better than anybody.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 9:10 a.m. at the U.S. Chief of Mission's Residence.

*Categories:* Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters :: Brussels, Belgium; Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Secretary General Stoltenberg*.*

*Locations: *Brussels, Belgium.* *

*Names:* Stoltenberg, Jens*.*

*Subjects:* Belgium : President Trump's visit; North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800477.