Trump blasts May's Brexit plan; says it puts trade deal in doubt

"I think they like me a lot in the UK".

What sort of person ever says such a thing? And this is the President of the US! The man has some serious confidence issues. Isn't it usually the case that those who act very confident are actually the least confident of all?

They like him so much that he's changed his itinerary completely to avoid them!

Well they don't vote for US President in the UK fortunately. Americans do think he is doing a good job (aside from welfare recipients and illegal aliens) and at this pace he will probably get reelected.

The people voted to break it up, so I imagine that's what they'll do. But maybe they're taking a little bit of a different route, so I don't know if that's what they voted for.

A surprisingly lucid statement for an increasingly unstable man. But perhaps even he is understanding what Brexit voters are rapidly growing aware of: When you divorce, your wife keeps both the house and the dog.

"Mr President, Sir Winston Churchill once said that 'to have the United States at our side was, to me, the greatest joy'

The UK, The First Knight of the US at best..licking ..bottom up :)

"I'm going to a pretty hot spot right now, right? With a lot of resignations," Trump told a news conference before leaving for London.

Back to the White House?

LOL

What sort of person ever says such a thing? And this is the President of the US! The man has some serious confidence issues. Isn't it usually the case that those who act very confident are actually the least confident of all?

The left doesn’t get it, Trump plays the media as as they try to undermine and tear him down. Lol

Americans do think he is doing a good job (aside from welfare recipients and illegal aliens) and at this pace he will probably get reelected.

Doing a good job? I would say that you are a bit misinformed, a majority of respondents actually have the opposite opinion.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/

"I think they like me a lot in the UK," 

Only the ‘Kippers and the gammon and other assorted loons. The majority think that you’re the turd in America’s punch bowl.

Can't wait for this cretin to be out of the White House so this country can be great again.

"Now, as we prepare to leave the European Union, we have an unprecedented opportunity to do more," she said.

Maybe we can be informed of these preparations?

May won’t last as PM into the fall as she is ...... ineffectual.

I'm surprised he's visiting the Queen at Windsor Castle. After all, it's rather an "off location" he might say, having being built under the Heathrow flight path. ;)

Crazy: "I'm going to a pretty hot spot right now, right? With a lot of resignations," Trump told a news conference before leaving for London."

"Back to the White House? LOL"

Crazy - ahem - try re-reading "before leaving for London."

"The people voted to break it up, so I imagine that's what they'll do. But maybe they're taking a little bit of a different route, so I don't know if that's what they voted for," said Trump."

"Asked about Trump's comments, May simply said she was delivering wishes of the British people."

Nah, actually she's screwing up Brexit pretty badly.

Farage on what Trump should say to May about Brexit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDBLNN_fKsI

May has no option but to temper any criticism of Trump so as not to jeopardise any future UK-U.S. trade deal.

There isn't going to be a trade deal and there isn't going to be a proper Brexit deal as whatever the Tories present to Parliament will be rejected. May will be forced to call yet another general election. She'll have to quit and the charlatan Johnson will probably seize his chance. The orange fraudster was right when he said "Turmoil". Grim times for Blighty.

What sort of person ever says such a thing?

It has been over 2 years since Trump started running for the presidency, and we still get these questions? I have to wonder why. Do you suppose that there are people who see him as dignified and not vulgar, and just need to have their eyes open?

This is what he is. Everybody knows that, and many have decided they don't care about his personality issues. It's even part of the charm, that he goes so against the grain and has everybody gasping "well, I never!" every other day. He's the first punk rock president.

Don't worry, you'll get your turn....

What happened to the protests? Seem to be like just a few hundred people or shy of that .

Can't wait for this cretin to be out of the White House so this country can be great again.

With the way liberals are going, with the crying and meltdown that won’t happen anytime soon and add to that he’ll probably be getting another supreme court justice on the court, it’s going to be a very long time before the left gets into power, I think.

bass4funk, most of the posters are not American citizens. Our political positions are not based on the USA lunatics! I am a Japanese national and do not the USA anything. I want what is best for Japan and not the loony Trump. I do not have to write nice things about Trump and his minions. Leave Japanese politics to Japan and the other nations. When the USA isolates itself from the rest of the world, it is not our problem! I am a Japanese national and refuse to kiss up to Trump or any American! Good luck Trump apologist, you are going to need it!!

What happened to the protests? Seem to be like just a few hundred people or shy of that .

It’s in the article:

Outside the mansion, near Oxford to the northwest of London, a couple of thousand demonstrators lined the road and booed Trump's arrival, one of over 100 protests police expect to take place during his four-day trip.

The main ones are yet to come. Given Trump’s crazed lies regarding crowd size, he’ll probably claim he saw only a few hundred too.

Is it normal for a visiting head of state to insult his counterpart in her own country? What a cretin this man is.

That interview with The Sun coming out now was deliberately timed. An anti-Europe paper with a boss who's a mate of Trump's and also very much hard Brexit inclined.

"Mr President, Sir Winston Churchill once said that 'to have the United States at our side was, to me, the greatest joy'," May told Trump, according to a text of her speech provided by her office.

Ugh, vomit. Using the bigoted butchering imperialist to cosy up to another bigot. The irony.

Meanwhile, Trump's undermining of NATO and the EU is going splendidly. Just what his handler in Moscow wants.

plasticmonkeyToday  10:09 am JST

Is it normal for a visiting head of state to insult his counterpart in her own country? What a cretin this man is.

I'm imagining the howls of outrage that would ensue from the Trumpbots here if Theresa May visited the US and said James Mattis would make a great president.

Meanwhile, Trump's undermining of NATO and the EU is going splendidly.

As of now for us as well, finally Germany is going to pay up and rightfully so.

Just what his handler in Moscow wants.

Yes, Trump wants Europe to buy or gas and ween them off Russian gas, you know the country that we’re protecting the EU from a system that has been putting us in debt that we carry over to China because you guys want to use all that money for entitlements and we make up the difference in debt. Nice, nice. Yes, that’s what putin wants. Liberals, liberals liberals....smh

@Simon Foston, you're on the right track, but bookish Mattis is nowhere near as polarizing as Johnson. The Keebler Elf, Jeff Sessions, would be a lot closer to the mark.

Is it normal for a visiting head of state to insult his counterpart in her own country?

He’s actually thrown trash at Theresa May and another woman called Theresa May for good measure on Twitter in the past. This was after he retweeted dodgy videos from a racist UK fringe group.

I know May has a difficult job in trying to be cordial while not committing political suicide by getting too close to this monstrosity, but I hope she has the guts to tell him to stop retweeting videos from UK based racists. It’s not too much to ask, is it?

The Sun newspaper is one of the lowest gutter press

Skip the ‘one of’ there, zichi.

Trump and the sun newspaper. A match made in the toilet.

Yes, that’s what putin wants. Liberals, liberals liberals....smh

With respect, Mr bass, there's not much point in any dialogue with you. Because no matter how many times I post up researched links or explain to you as to why things are the way they are, you ignore it and engage in whataboutery or bait liberals.

And once again, I am not a liberal. If you persist in such namecalling, I shall have to refer to you as a nazi.

Back on topic, Trump interfering with the Brexit process will delight the hard-Brexit crowd. Let's not forget, these hardliners are quite happy to put everything the GFA has achieved in jeopardy. It's not unlike antagonising Palestine by moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and siding with Netanyahu.

Are Trump and the Brexiteers really ready for a resurgence of terrorism in Ireland?

bass4funkToday  10:21 am JST

"I'm imagining the howls of outrage that would ensue from the Trumpbots here if Theresa May visited the US and said James Mattis would make a great president."

We would just chuckle and move on. We’re used to this from the Brits, so nothing new.

I see... perhaps you could remind us of an occasion when a senior British politician visited the USA, or any other country for that matter, and gave an opinion on who should lead the government. Incidentally, John Cleese and John Oliver are not senior British politicians, in case you were confused.

You can't, can you. Thought not.

As of now for us as well, finally Germany is going to pay up and rightfully so.

I did not find any indication in Germany whatsoever that they will "pay up" for anything.

Just as there is no indication whatsoever from North Korea that they will give up any nuclear arsenal after Trumps TV show with Kim in Singapore (on the contrary).

It's just Trump's stream of fake news of "victories" to feed his minions with what they want so desperatly to hear and believe.

Trump and the sun newspaper. A match made in the toilet.

Which reminds me, I was amused to find that you can actually buy Trump bog roll online. Whereas I always knew The Sun makes a reasonable emergency substitute.

May should have asked him to show her the cheque from Mexico that's going to pay for the wall.

Given Trump’s crazed lies regarding crowd size, he’ll probably claim he saw only a few hundred too.

Nah, given his obsession to always be the biggest and best, he'll claim he had the biggest crowds.

No one attracts bigger crowds than me. I have all the best crowds. I'm bigly loved in the UK. Look at the size of the crowds that came out to greet me. So vocal, so expressive, so plain-spoken. No one attracts more expressive crowds than I do. Clamouring for me they were, so much clamouring, they just couldn't get enough of me. They love me so much over there. Love me bigly.

Or if his tiny fragile little ego can't take the protests, he'll simply not see them. At all.

So basically he went to golf in Scotland passing by England and shaking hand with the Queen ?

In my institute going for businesses to other country you can't stay even a day longer no matter you are paing by yourself for hotels, etc. He has spent golfing half of his term...

What a jackass.

"we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal."

in other words we can screw a better deal from the UK when theyre alone instead of with the EU where they have much stronger negotiating power as a whole.

"I would have done it much differently," he told the Sun, which urged its readers to back Brexit before a referendum in June 2016. "I actually told Theresa May how to do it, but she didn't listen to me."

This was very interesting. Is he referring to anything at all, or is it pure made-up nonsense? We knew already that President Swamp/Blimp does not know or care about any distinction between truth and fiction, but this is a classic example! He was right that May's latest proposal re EU relations cannot work though. After 2 years, still zero progress on the 'have one's cake and eat it' conundrum.

Except for the President Blimp rhetoric on his manic Monday, there's no evidence that the other NATO countries made any agreement with Trump

I was specifically talking about Germany

in other words we can screw a better deal from the UK when theyre alone instead of with the EU where they have much stronger negotiating power as a whole.

It’s just stupid! We take care of all of Europe in then Germany gives money to Russia, the very country were protecting them from and the EU and because they want to have fun in the sun and also use the money to feed their insatiable entitlement culture we have to cover the costs and carry that as debt to China? Unbelievable these Europeans.

He is then due to spend two days at golf courses he owns in Scotland so gets to promote his struggling golf course in Scotland all on the US tax payers dime. wonder if hell charge his secret service the us of his golf carts!?

What they should do is make an Anglo-alliance consisting the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and NZ to counter the EU, with free trade and freedom of movement. I think a lot of people would be in favor of that.

I was specifically talking about Germany

No change by Germany.

It’s just stupid! We take care of all of Europe in then Germany gives money to Russia, the very country were protecting them from and the EU and because they want to have fun in the sun and also use the money to feed their insatiable entitlement culture we have to cover the costs and carry that as debt to China? Unbelievable these Europeans.

Germany imports gas from Russia, if that is what you are trying to say. Yes we know that. All countries need to secure supplies of energy.

It’s just stupid! We take care of all of Europe in then Germany gives money to Russia, the very country were protecting them from and the EU and because they want to have fun in the sun and also use the money to feed their insatiable entitlement culture we have to cover the costs and carry that as debt to China? Unbelievable these Europeans.

So now they aren't allowed to trade with Russia? The United States bought 17$ Billion worth of stuff from Russia in 2017!

Granted, most of that was probably Trump hush money related to the pee pee tapes, but still. Its a lot.

We take care of all of Europe in then Germany gives money to Russia, the very country were protecting them from...

Thanks. We obviously don't need your care or protection as your president is good buddies with Putin, whom he admires and praises and clearly likes much better, than most of Europe's leaders. Logically we have nothing to fear.

Except for the President Blimp rhetoric on his manic Monday, there's no evidence that the other NATO countries made any agreement with Trump 

I was specifically talking about Germany

Can you please provide the numbers? What exactly has Germany agreed to which is different to what was agreed before?

We can safely ignore Trump’s idiotic bluster. It’s a given that his numbers came straight out of his backside.

Let’s be sensible and look at facts. What are they?

No change by Germany

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/08/france-germany-increase-defence-spending-amid-fears-donald-trump/

Thank God!

Can you please provide the numbers?

I did, twice now.

We can safely ignore Trump’s idiotic bluster.

You can, but your’re not May or Merkel, you don’t have to worry about your party or staying in power.

It’s a given that his numbers came straight out of his backside. 

One thing Trump is dead, it’s numbers.

@Bass

This is from the article you linked to:

Germany says it is also boosting defence spending because of new threats. “The challenges for Nato have changed drastically in recent years,” Mrs Merkel said in her weekly video address.

Europe’s economic powerhouse last week committed to an extra €18bn (£16bn) in military spending, and to raise its defence budget by 80 per cent to reach 1.5 per cent of GDP by 2024 — still well short of the 2 per cent target agreed by Nato leaders in 2014.

I’ll try again.

What exactly has Germany agreed to which is different to what was agreed before?

Trump’s numbers are utter nonsense, aren’t they?

perhaps you could remind us of an occasion when a senior British politician visited the USA, or any other country for that matter, and gave an opinion on who should lead the government

Margaret Thatcher, Poland, suggested over dinner with the then leader of Solidarnosc (sic) that he would be a good candidate for the role of leader.

I’ll try again. 

That’s OK I already gave you my point a few times

Trump’s numbers are utter nonsense, aren’t they?

Not at all. Don’t worry, we love you and will always protect you. You are welcome.

In a discussion with friends the other day, we got to talking about the credibility of commentors on JT

What a riveting topic of discussion.

Why does JT have a record number of Democrats commenting? It really does make such reporting laughable!

There is a record for that? I had no idea.

Its worth mentioning that this is not an American news site so its an awfully big assumption to make that most commenters here identify themselves with an American political party. Trump is almost universally toxic outside the US across the political spectrum, so trying to apply the assumptions of American political discourse to commenters on here makes little sense.

Just another Trump manic Monday. A president of America interfering with the internal politics of another country. 

Gosh, he must be the first president to do that! Oh, wait....

"April 2, 2016: Barack Obama has warned that the UK would be at the “back of the queue” in any trade deal with the US if the country chose to leave the EU"

and...

"Obama, as a U.S. Senator, illegally used a taxpayer-financed trip to campaign for far-left presidential candidate Raila Odinga in Kenya’s 2006 elections."

and...

"During Israel’s 2015 elections, the Obama administration — led by Secretary of State John Kerry — illegally intervened when they attempted to defeat the reelection of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by covertly funneling State Department grants to opposition groups."

...and I could go on to military intervention in Libya and elsewhere. Suffice to say the notion that Trump is doing anything unprecedented here is completely unsupported by even a cursory knowledge of US intervention in foreign elections.

...and I could go on to military intervention in Libya and elsewhere. Suffice to say the notion that Trump is doing anything unprecedented here is completely unsupported by even a cursory knowledge of US intervention in foreign elections.

its a fair point that US presidents have a long history of interfering with the politics of other countries.

I suppose what makes Trump's move odd is that, in contrast to those examples you provide, he is actually undermining the position of someone who by any standard is quite friendly to him - she is the PM of the US's closest ally, and one of the few European leaders who has gone out of her way to take a friendly stance with him.

I'm no fan of May, but he is basically just stabbing her in the back with all this.

You are entitled to your opinion, but if it is IGNORANT then it is best to keep it to yourself. What does Big Orange Man know about Brexit?? -- absolutely nothing (say it again).

There are no press releases from NATO or even a single NATO country like Germany about any changes to NATO country defense budgets. Not a single word.

But they will. They will not compromise on the US leaving and knowing that there is a Russia and a crazy man like Putin next to them, it’s not going to happen

They could also just follow in Trump's footsteps and cancel any agreement they made.

I already did

You don't insult your hosts while you are at their party for you.

Please tell that to all the European leaders

Trump's basically asking (more like 'threatening' actually) May to choose between a bilateral trade deal with the us or access to EU markets. In a nutshell, Trump's divide & conquer strategy.

and on Friday he is scheduled to have tea with Queen Elizabeth.

How quaint! What's wrong with 'meet with Queen Elizabeth'?

What does Big Orange Man know about Brexit?

I’ve posted this before but it is enlightening. He had this to say on Twitter about Brexit when visiting Scotland:

Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote. They took their country back, just like we will take America back. No games!

This reply pretty much sums that statement up:

Scotland voted to stay & plan on a second referendum, you tiny fingered, Cheeto-faced, ferret wearing s###gibbon

A bit cruel but stupid statements must be called out.

I'm no fan of May, but he is basically just stabbing her in the back with all this.

She just stabbed her own base in the back, and that was the same base that was friendly Trump. She is pretty much on borrowed time now (politically), so not much point in making nice with her and annoying the Brexiters.

Funny in all of this how the EU has managed to make surrendering national sovereignty an essential component of free trade, when one has almost nothing to do with the other.

They will not compromise on the US leaving and knowing that there is a Russia and a crazy man like Putin next to them, it’s not going to happen 

bass4funk, you should keep your arguments congruent. As Trump says that Putin is not an enemy, Europe has nothing to fear. And we shouldn't create major irritations for this cozy Trump-Putin relationship by a NATO military build-up at Russia's borders, shouldn't we?

The British are an older nation than the Americans and their longer history enables them to see right through a blatant imposter like Trump who was able to pull the wool over the eyes of a hopelessly naive, younger America and, most importantly, who, thanks to the out-dated electoral college system, became the POTUS from Hell who daily makes a laughing stock of the USA in the eyes of the world.. Trump's trip to the UK is not yet over, but he may yet rue the day he accepted the invitation from his fawning vassal, Treeza the Terrible, who does NOT represent the majority opinion of the British people.

She just stabbed her own base in the back, and that was the same base that was friendly Trump.

May doesn't have a "base" if by that you mean the hard-Brexit faction. She never campaigned on hard Brexit, her party is not itself dedicated to hard-Brexit, nor did the referendum itself ask voters about hard Brexit.

Regardless of that, whatever the domestic politics of her decision that has nothing to do with whether or not Trump stabbed her in the back with these comments. He clearly did. You might think she deserved it, but it doesn't change the fact that this was a stab in the back.

Funny in all of this how the EU has managed to make surrendering national sovereignty an essential component of free trade, when one has almost nothing to do with the other.

Just to be clear: the UK voluntarily signed up to the EU more than 40 years ago knowing the full package of rights and obligations that it entailed. They aren't the one taking sovereignty away from anybody, the UK volunteered to give up some of it in exchange for the benefits of membership. If the UK wants out to get their sovereignty back, then they have to give up the benefits they got from giving it up in the first place. Complaining about that is truly pathetic.

The British are an older nation than the Americans and their longer history enables them to see right through a blatant imposter like Trump who was able to pull the wool over the eyes of a hopelessly naive, younger America and, most importantly, who, thanks to the out-dated electoral college system, became the POTUS from Hell who daily makes a laughing stock of the USA in the eyes of the world.. Trump's trip to the UK is not yet over, but he may yet rue the day he accepted the invitation from his fawning vassal, Treeza the Terrible, who does NOT represent the majority opinion of the British people.

what a load of hogwash.

The Brits didn't care much for Napoleon either. Gee. I wonder why?

*................French defence spending will rise gradually over the next seven years to meet the Western military alliance’s target of 2 per cent of GDP." *

Yes, I saw that in that’s a start, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll do that sooner. the way it looks right now more than likely he’s going to want some serious assurances that they will do that.

See that bold writing? That's what everyone agreed to before, so nothin' new! And I got my doubts that France, Germany and all other NATO members are afraid of Trump pulling out those troops.

They should be.

I mean (and I think I am in the position to talk about it) ... they did pull out of Germany a couple of years ago already! Well, not all of them ... but enough to close (US administered) major training areas (one of which was right in front of my doorsteps). The Fulda Gap threat is gone, as is the iron curtain. Everything else is just dumb talk!

That’s what you say, but you are not in the political position you don’t make any calls for changes and you don’t have to worry about an election.

Trump has to get used to the fact, that this is not a "ship-wrecking-service" but politics where you have to use manners! But that would be quite difficult for him to learn, I assume.

I understand that, but your peers getting a free ride for almost 70 years, so that should Priscilla done in an end to that is coming, so if they want to be protected they have to pay their fair share in sooner rather than later or we pull out.

you should keep your arguments congruent. As Trump says that Putin is not an enemy, Europe has nothing to fear.

That has to do with the US, not with Europe, come on now.

And we shouldn't create major irritations for this cozy Trump-Putin relationship by a NATO military build-up at Russia's borders, shouldn't we?

I understand that, but it doesn’t make sense that Germany is paint billions of dollars to Russia for their gas in at the same time we have to foot the bill mostly for NATO, it’s just mind blowing and to be honest into the credit, both Bush and Obama said the same thing over the years and knew this, but Trump is just been more forceful about it and good about him, Germany could buy gas from us and they can wean themselves off Russian gas and then that way they can increase donate a budget and we wouldn’t have to carry as much weight and put ourselves for the debt that we carry over to China.

I understand that, but it doesn’t make sense that Germany is paint billions of dollars to Russia for their gas in at the same time we have to foot the bill mostly for NATO, it’s just mind blowing and to be honest into the credit, both Bush and Obama said the same thing over the years and knew this, but Trump is just been more forceful about it and good about him, Germany could buy gas from us and they can wean themselves off Russian gas and then that way they can increase donate a budget and we wouldn’t have to carry as much weight and put ourselves for the debt that we carry over to China.

Ah, so this is all just a shakedown to force Germany to buy US gas?

Now it all makes sense.

it doesn't change the fact that this was a stab in the back.

I don't want to make another list, but the US stabbing allies in the back is another common thread that runs through almost all administrations.

They aren't the one taking sovereignty away from anybody, the UK volunteered to give up some of it in exchange for the benefits of membership. If the UK wants out to get their sovereignty back, then they have to give up the benefits they got from giving it up in the first place. Complaining about that is truly pathetic.

I have forgotten the details, but the UK joined the EU without much public involvement or information provided to voters. Or maybe the voters just changed their minds once they realized how much sovereignty meant. I do remember the political class was very forceful in pushing this through.

Regardless, the nation voted to exit, and that should be respected by the politicians. As I said, sovereignty is not something that needs to be surrendered for free trade. The sovereignty was given for the much larger goal of the elimination of sovereign nations within the EU. Nothing pathetic about wanting sovereignty back, and nothing pathetic about expecting politicians to follow the will of the people. People have a right to decide their own destiny. Or they should.

I support free trade. I support sovereignty for people who desire it, and support their desire to have some control over their national destiny. Those are not incompatible hopes.

"3. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to all aspects of the Defence Investment Pledge agreed at the 2014 Wales Summit, and to submit credible national plans on its implementation, including the spending guidelines for 2024, planned capabilities, and contributions."

The German government was initially reluctant to sign-up to NATO's defence spending pledge but its defence ministry has managed to secure some sturdy increases, with Chancellor Angela Merkel repeatedly committing to an increase in defence spending.

However, the country is still falling short of its two per cent pledge and much of its budget is spent on personnel despite its armed forces having a limited ability to deploy troops or allies' troops.

Looks like they’re finally going to cut some of their entitlements

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/768093/Germany-NATO-save-defence-spending-target-Merkel-Fabrice-Pothier

Those cone head toy soldiers are unique.

I don't want to make another list, but the US stabbing allies in the back is another common thread that runs through almost all administrations.

Fair enough.

Regardless, the nation voted to exit, and that should be respected by the politicians.

Yes, they voted to exit but the question was silent as to the form of that exit, which could take numerous forms ranging from hard Brexit to a Norway style arrangement - we have no idea how many people voting remain wanted hard Brexit versus a softer version so you can't take the referendum as a mandate for hard Brexit specifically. The referendum question was poorly designed as nobody thought Leave would win so they never thought through the complications of asking such a vague question.

As I said, sovereignty is not something that needs to be surrendered for free trade.

The EU isn't just a free trade area like NAFTA, its also a customs union and a single market for goods, services, capital and labor. You certainly don't need to give up much sovereignty for free trade, but for those other things you do.

The sovereignty was given for the much larger goal of the elimination of sovereign nations within the EU.

The EU is quite a bit more complicated and quite a bit less nefarious than a mere anti-sovereignty organization.

Nothing pathetic about wanting sovereignty back, and nothing pathetic about expecting politicians to follow the will of the people.

I suppose its correct that wanting sovereignty per se is not pathetic, but wanting both it AND the benefits of an organization which by necessity requires giving up some sovereignty is. You can have one or the other, not both.

And for reasons I said above, there is no evidence that hard Brexit represents the "will of the people".

most of the posters are not American citizens. Our political positions are not based on the USA lunatics!

So just geo plotical lunatics then, ok.

I am a Japanese national and do not the USA anything. I want what is best for Japan and not the loony Trump.

And I want what’s best for the US

I do not have to write nice things about Trump and his minions.

No one said you had to.

Leave Japanese politics to Japan and the other nations. When the USA isolates itself from the rest of the world, it is not our problem!

But it’s OK if the rest the world sticks her nose into our politics, especially when we’re out there protecting half the world, very interesting.

I am a Japanese national and refuse to kiss up to Trump or any American! Good luck Trump apologist, you are going to need it!!

You don’t have to kiss up, you have every right to feel and do as you please, but we will always be there to protect Japan most of Asia and Europe and as always you’re welcome.

The EU is quite a bit more complicated and quite a bit less nefarious than a mere anti-sovereignty organization.

I never said it was a mere anti-sovereignty organization, nor that it was nefarious (though I think it most likely a mixture of greed and good intentions). Just that the only reason free trade is tied to this is because the EU is using it as a tool. There is no need for the EU to exist to have free trade.

And for reasons I said above, there is no evidence that hard Brexit represents the "will of the people".

No evidence? There is some. Maybe insufficient, but there is evidence. By the same token, there is insufficient evidence that the soft Brexit or no Brexit is the will of the people either.

There is no need for the EU to exist to have free trade.

Yes, but like I said the EU is not just a free trade area like NAFTA, so this is kind of a meaningless observation. The EU is a single market for goods, services, capital and labor. It is a much higher level of economic integration than mere free trade and that can only be achieved through a body like the EU (or some equivalent).

No evidence? There is some. Maybe insufficient, but there is evidence. By the same token, there is insufficient evidence that the soft Brexit or no Brexit is the will of the people either.

There is zero evidence. If by "will of the people" you mean "will of more than 50%", we have zero evidence that this is the case. There is some evidence that some people in the UK want hard Brexit, but no evidence that a majority do. Polling indicates the exact opposite, a substantial majority favor soft Brexit, with hard Brexit a distinct minority position.

The Brits didn't care much for Napoleon either. Gee. I wonder why?

A man who was known to have a bad temper, an inferiority complex and given to agggressive outbursts.

A contemporary Frenchman, the novelist Paul de Kock described Napoleon as "yellow, obese and bloated".

Not that physical appearances should have any bearing on a person's ability to lead but there is an odd similarity.

Napoleon III, on the other hand, ended his days in exile in Kent, England.

Those who claim that the US is protecting half the world and then wonder why we aren't on our knees thanking them are missing the point.

The US influence on half the world has resulted in millions of lives lost, nations destroyed, millions displaced, democratically elected governments toppled and possibly irreparable damage to the environment.

So, actually, we have every right to protest and comment on your politics. Especially when your latest incarnation is a bully, a crook, a liar and a racist putting our countries in jeopardy.

If you want to see some real eye-gouging action in Blenheim Palace, watch the movie Spectre (2015).

Those who claim that the US is protecting half the world and then wonder why we aren't on our knees thanking them are missing the point.

You don’t have have to be on your hands and knees, but if you want us to help, not you, the leaders of Europe, then things need to change a lot. It doesn’t make sense we have to pay out more for Europe’s defense and countries like Germany don’t pay their fair share, but pay millions to the Russians for gas, but want our protection from the Russians, what? And because of that, we have to carry that debt and dump it on China? So No, you don’t have to bow, just pull your weight or we just leave good luck. But we know the leaders would NEVER want that. So.....

The US influence on half the world has resulted in millions of lives lost, nations destroyed, millions displaced,

It also resulted in lives saved, nations rebuilt, religious minorities resettled, given more aid and food worldwide.

democratically elected governments toppled and possibly irreparable damage to the environment.

Thank you, so you take all your GDP put it to protect the environment, we protect you, you listen OR pay your share, give up on some entitlements and see less of us. I think the latter would be better.

So, actually, we have every right to protest and comment on your politics.

Go ahead, protest.....and then what? Lol

Especially when your latest incarnation is a bully, a crook, a liar and a racist putting our countries in jeopardy.

The man is not a racist or a crook. Bullying is sometimes necessary to get the point across to some of these leaders.

You don’t have have to be on your hands and knees, but if you want us to help, not you, the leaders of Europe, then things need to change a lot. It doesn’t make sense we have to pay out more for Europe’s defense and countries like Germany don’t pay their fair share, but pay millions to the Russians for gas, but want our protection from the Russians, what? And because of that, we have to carry that debt and dump it on China? So No, you don’t have to bow, just pull your weight or we just leave good luck. But we know the leaders would NEVER want that. So.....

This is being disingenuous though. The US doesn't spend most of its defence budget on defending Europe, nor is there any serious argument that Europe is in some sort of military danger that is not being met as a result of Europe's current military expenditures.

The US spends an obscene amount on defence because it insists on having a global presence and on constantly invading other countries like Iraq, most of which has little or nothing to do with Europe. Insisting that Europe spend the same proportion as the US does is ludicrous: European security does not require the military capability of starting wars Iran and North Korea simultaneously, which is what US defence spending is predicated on. Trying to claim the entirety of US defence spending as a contribution to Europe which they aren't reciprocating is just dishonest.

This is being disingenuous though. The US doesn't spend most of its defence budget on defending Europe,

On “NATO” it’s 3.6% way too much.

nor is there any serious argument that Europe is in some sort of military danger that is not being met as a result of Europe's current military expenditures. 

If that were true then Russia could’ve never siezed Crimea, it would have never happened.

The US spends an obscene amount on defence because it insists on having a global presence and on constantly invading other countries like Iraq, most of which has little or nothing to do with Europe.

Yes, we like a strong military and when you factor in China and Russia, it makes it helps me sleep good at night knowing that we have a powerful military

Insisting that Europe spend the same proportion as the US does is ludicrous:

No, it’s not. Actually, we should spend less, because we have the heaviest and most advanced military equipment and if we’re going to use our troops into resources to help fight alongside Europe, remember EUROPE then of course they should do more of the work. Even Israel asks us to take a side role and they insist on being in the frontlines and Europe with their Typhoons can’t handle it?

European security does not require the military capability of starting wars Iran and North Korea simultaneously, which is what US defence spending is predicated on.

Or how we like to call it, the Obama attitude.

Trying to claim the entirety of US defence spending as a contribution to Europe which they aren't reciprocating is just dishonest.

Yeah, I would expect Europeans to think like that. Anyway, the free ride is over.

... meanwhile the ENTIRE WORLD blasts Trump, his administration, everything they say, and everything they do.

Whatever happened to Trump's the US being UK's greatest friend after Brexit?

Guess that only goes so far

Beware the words that promise a lot

Anyway, the free ride is over.

WRONG:

Trump claims to have forced Nato members to spend more, but fails to provide evidence...alliance members simply agreed to keep to spending commitments which had already been made

(new source)

Trump has failed again

Actually, we should spend less

or

 we like a strong military

Which is it?

The man is not a racist

Yes, he is. Proof is his Muslim ban

And, with that in mind, if you only listen to a Government's own version of events, and assume that that, is the truth, then you either don't care, can't care, or you don't have an inquisitive and open mind.