DONALD Trump has blasted cash rich Germany for owing "vast sums of money" to Nato.

Tweeting a day after an awkward meeting with German leader Angela Merkel, Trump demanded Berlin should cough up billions of Euros more on defence.

1 Donald Trump had a frank meeting with Angela Merkel yesterday Credit: EPA

Only the US and four other Nato members - including the UK - currently reach the alliance's benchmark of spending on defence which is 2% of GDP.

But Germany spends a miserly 1.23% of its national income despite running a whopping £234billion budget surplus.

The two leaders showed little common ground yesterday over a host of thorny issues, including Nato and defence spending.

And today Trump tweeted: "Germany owes vast sums of money to NATO & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defence it provides to Germany!"

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...vast sums of money to NATO & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2017

During their joint news conference, Trump - who has criticised NATO as "obsolete" - demanded that America's allies in the military alliance pay back "vast sums of money from past years".

Merkel said Germany had committed to increasing its military spending to the previously agreed level of 2% of GDP for NATO's European members.

Trump set the tone for his relations with Merkel during his campaign last year, saying her decision to allow close to a million refugees into Germany was a "catastrophic mistake" and suggested she was "ruining Germany".

In a truly cringe-worthy scene, the US President appeared to completely blank requests to shake his guest Angela Merkel’s hand.

But Trump also lashed out at the news media on Saturday. "Despite what you have heard from the FAKE NEWS," he tweeted, "I had a GREAT meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Despite what you have heard from the FAKE NEWS, I had a GREAT meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, Germany owes..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2017

During the election and his presidential inauguration, Mr Trump declared Nato "obsolete" but has since modified his stance, telling European leaders the alliance remains of strategic importance.

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