International security

Trump's barrage of attacks 'beyond belief,' reeling NATO diplomats say

NATO diplomats are dumbfounded by President Donald Trump's barrage of acidic rhetoric at the annual summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Trump came out brawling in his first public comments, accusing NATO ally Germany of being "a captive of Russia," calling members of the alliance "delinquent" in their defense spending and insisting they increase it "immediately."

"It's like the world has gone crazy this morning," one senior European diplomat told CNN. "Trump's performance was beyond belief."

The President's remarks sent officials scrambling for answers, triggered ripples of dismay among defense officials and alarmed members of Trump's own party enough that one worried aloud the President is trying to "tear down" the 29-member alliance. The Republican-controlled House, usually careful to stay in lockstep with Trump, passed a resolution to send a "strong message of support" for NATO.

"This is very confusing," another senior European diplomat said. Referring to Trump's targeting of Germany, this envoy said, "the attacks before, and now this tremendous stuff today. It doesn't make any sense. We're still in the process of analyzing it."