BACKTRACKING

Trump Reverses on NATO: It’s ‘No Longer Obsolete’

Contradicts his long-running anti-NATO rhetoric.

President Trump on Wednesday reversed his previous rhetoric about NATO, admitting during a joint press conference with the international org’s chairman that it is “no longer obsolete.” During prepared remarks alongside NATO chairman Jens Stoltenberg, the president said that the pair had a “productive discussion about what more NATO can do to fight against terrorism.” He added: “I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism. I said [NATO] was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete.” Trump did not specify what changes the organization has made to his liking, but he continued the reversal with overt praise for the treaty: “Every generation has strived to adopt the NATO alliance to meet the challenges of their times, and on my visit to Brussels this spring, which I look very much forward to, we will look together to do the same.”