“Pussy hats in all shapes and colours to show our resistance against Trump,” declare protest organisers on their website

With Europe under permanent siege, a fact that Monday night’s deadly terrorist attack in the British city of Manchester again painfully drove home, leftist agitators are hoping to gather in their thousands in the Belgian capital of Brussels to “protest” President Donald Trump’s visit. “Tens of thousands” are expected at the anti-Trump march in Brussels on Wednesday, British newspaper Guardian wrote. Brussels-based ringleaders of the anti-Trump protests were mad at President Trump for “excluding people”, “denying global warming,” and “intimidating the media.”

On their website the organisers urged that they “would like to see pussy hats in all shapes and colours to show our resistance against Trump.” Among Far-Left political parties and unions, the UK-based charity Oxfam and the ‘environmental’ group Greenpeace have been listed as the sponsors of the protest.

Tomorrow, President Trump will begin his two-day visit to Brussels, the administrative seat of the European Union. He is expected to meet the EU and NATO as well as the newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron. Prior to his arrival in Brussels, Trump will make a brief stop at the Vatican to seek an audience with Pope Francis.

Local English-language magazine Brussels Times reports:

Citizens and civil society organisations are joining forces and taking action against Donald Trump, the American President, who comes to Brussels, on May 24th and May 25th. A protest march “Trump Not Welcome” will, in particular, be organised on May 24th. Its departure is set for 5 p.m. at the Gare du Nord. NATO, which is due to hold a “special meeting”, on Thursday, between the heads of state and government of the 28 countries of the alliance (plus a further country), is also the target of these anticipated initiatives. (…) Thousands of people have already signed up to this via the social network Facebook. Other organisations are also supporting the “call to arms”.

Grown up men running around in ‘pussy hats’ aside, President Trump will be tackling some serious issues when he meets European leaders in Brussels. According to the German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, NATO might join the new anti-ISIS coalition announced earlier this week by President Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

“NATO is not yet a formal member of the international “Anti-ISIS coalition.” Despite Berlin and Paris having their reservations [over such a coalition], it is very likely that they will officially join the alliance.” [Deutschlandfunk, May 22, 2017; author’s translation]

The German broadcaster, citing official sources, also revealed that the European leaders have agreed to President Trump’s demand asking them to meet their NATO spending obligations. US President’s spending demands were initially met with scorn and ridicule from German politicians and the mainstream media. Germany’s Foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, declared that it was neither “reachable nor desirable” for his country to spend the mandatory 2 percent of GDP on NATO. British newspaper Guardian proclaimed, “Germany rebukes Tillerson over call for NATO allies to boost defense spending.” In March, BBC ran the headline “Germany rejects US pressure for Nato spending rise.”

After dragging their feet for months, European leaders, it seems, have decided to pay their NATO membership dues in full. So much winning!

Additionally, Trump’s NATO partners will promise to increase their military budgets, as demanded. The proposal has been tabled, as [German public broadcaster] ARD’s Europe-Studio in Brussels has learned, that once a year every member state will submit a paper — a kind of plan — to the headquarters showing how national defense budget has been structured; where the money is spend, but thirdly, how much one intends to contribute to NATO operations. [Deutschlandfunk, May 22, 2017; author’s translation]

EU, France, and Germany are likely to pose a united front following President Macron’s win. German Chancellor Merkel’s position too has been consolidated after last week’s regional election victory and her continued strong showing in the opinion polls ahead of September parliamentary election.

But President Trump’s instinct of sticking to his position despite hostility from his opponents and the accompanied media outcry is finally paying dividends in terms of foreign policy. If these German media reports are any indication, President Trump can look forward a successful European visit.

Video: Ahead of Trump visit, NATO and EU defence ministers talk cooperation:



[Cover image courtesy AP, YouTube]



