TRUMP’S CLAIMS RELATED TO EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO

Source: Toronto Star

"Last year, we lost $151 billion with the European Union."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. Trump, as usual, did not say he was doing so.

"...We do not have a fair deal with the European Union, right now, on trade. They treat the United States horribly...they won't take many of our things, including our cars."

In fact: While American cars are generally not very popular in Europe, it is not true that the EU "won't take" American cars. According to Eurostat, the European Commission's statistical agency, auto imports from the U.S. to the European Union peaked at €7 billion in 2016 and were approximately €6 billion in 2017 . According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association: "The U.S. is the third biggest exporter of cars to the EU in terms of value, representing a 15.4% share of EU imports in 2017."

"...We do not have a fair deal with the European Union, right now, on trade. They treat the United States horribly....they have barriers that are beyond belief -- barriers where they won't take our farm products..."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say the EU simply "won't take our farm products." According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"And if they (European leaders) don't negotiate in good faith, we'll do something having to do with all of the millions of cars that are coming into our country and being taxed at a virtually zero level, at a very low level."

In fact: "Very low" is fair enough, but "a virtually zero level" is an exaggeration. The U.S. has a 2.5 per cent tariff on cars imported from Europe.

"Our farmers have been shut out of the European Union."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say they have been "shut out of the European Union." According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"We're being taken advantage of by the European Union. We lost $151 billion last year on trade."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"The European Union makes it impossible for our farmers and workers and companies to do business in Europe (U.S. has a $151 Billion trade deficit)..."

in fact: U.S. farmers, workers and businesses have not been shut out of Europe. According to Trump's Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. exported $270 billion in goods and $231 billion in services to the EU in 2016. While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say it is "impossible." According to the website of Trump's Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"The European Union makes it impossible for our farmers and workers and companies to do business in Europe (U.S. has a $151 Billion trade deficit)..."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"On top of that we lose $151 Billion on Trade with the European Union."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services.

"By some accounts, the U.S. is paying for 90% of NATO, with many countries nowhere close to their 2% commitment. On top of this the European Union has a Trade Surplus of $151 Million with the U.S., with big Trade Barriers on U.S. goods. NO!"

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"They make it impossible to do business in Europe, and yet they come in and they sell their Mercedes and their BMWs to us. So we have $151 billion in trade deficits with the EU."

In fact: Of course, it is not "impossible" for most American companies to do business in Europe. And the $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"The European Union last year made, if you look at a trade surplus, which I think is a very important thing, $151 billion...They made last year $151 billion in trade surplus."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"The European Union is possibly as bad as China, just smaller, OK?...Look what they do to our farmers. They don't want our farm products. Now, in all fairness, they have their farmers. So, they want to protect their farmers. But we don't protect ours, and they protect theirs."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say the EU simply "doesn't want" U.S. farm products or refuses to take them. According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth in the world for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"The European Union is possibly as bad as China, just smaller, OK? It's terrible, what they do to us. European Union, take a look at the car situation. They send a Mercedes in. We can't send our cars in."

In fact: While American cars are generally not very popular in Europe, it is not true that the U.S. "can't send our cars in." According to Eurostat, the European Commission's statistical agency, auto imports from the U.S. to the European Union peaked at €7 billion in 2016  and were approximately €6 billion in 2017.  According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association: "The U.S. is the third biggest exporter of cars to the EU in terms of value, representing a 15.4% share of EU imports in 2017."

"European Union, last year, trade imbalance. We had a deficit of $151 billion."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"If we send them (the European Union) a car which they don't want, and they practically don't take, but on the assumption it got through, they charge us many, many times what we charge them."

In fact: While American cars are generally not very popular in Europe, it is not true that the EU "practically doesn't take" U.S. cars. According to Eurostat, the European Commission's statistical agency, auto imports from the U.S. to the European Union peaked at €7 billion in 2016  and were approximately €6 billion in 2017 . According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association: "The U.S. is the third biggest exporter of cars to the EU in terms of value, representing a 15.4% share of EU imports in 2017."

"Last year, with the European Union, we lost $151 billion on trade."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services.

"European Union -- we love the European Union. They make $151 billion a year -- $151 billion."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"We lost $151 billion with the European Union, which puts up trade barriers so that our farmers can't trade. We can't send farm products in, for the most part."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say U.S. farmers "can't trade" or "can't send farm products in, for the most part." According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"We lost $151 billion with the European Union...we can't allow the European Union to take out $151 billion out of the United States."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"They don't let our farmers into the European Union, it's very hard. So we have farmers that want to sell, you don't hear these stories, this is why, with these people, they don't tell you these stories. The European Union has what they call trade barriers, the European Union doesn't allow our farmers to go and trade, it's very hard for them to go to trade."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say the EU simply "doesn't allow our farmers to go and trade." According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth in the world for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"European Union, we lost $151 billion last year with the European Union."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"Surprised that Harley-Davidson, of all companies, would be the first to wave the White Flag. I fought hard for them and ultimately they will not pay tariffs selling into the EU, which has hurt us badly on trade, down $151 Billion."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"They (the European Union) don't want our farm products...if you're not going to take our farmers' products -- we make the greatest products in so many different ways, and they don't want 'em."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say the EU simply "doesn't want" U.S. farm products or refuses to take them. According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"With the European Union, we're losing, last year, $151 billion. One hundred fifty one billion."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"The European Union made $151 billion on us last year."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union last year. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"Germany, the European Union is a disaster for us. We lost $151 billion last year. Billion, not million. We lost $151 billion. They don't take our product. They won't take our agriculture."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say they "they won't take our agriculture." According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016. That is a 55 per cent increase, the department noted, from $7.5 billion in exports in 2006. The department also noted that the EU is the fourth-largest agricultural export market for the U.S.

"Germany, the European Union is a disaster for us. We lost $151 billion last year. Billion, not, million. We lost $151 billion."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"They (the European Union) don't take our agricultural products, barely."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers exporting to the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say "they don't take our agricultural products, barely." According to the website of Trump's own U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016. That is a 55 per cent increase, the department noted, from $7.5 billion in exports in 2006. The department also noted that the EU is the fourth-largest agricultural export market for the U.S.

"For many years, with China being, obviously, the most successful at it, but the European Union is second -- $151 billion we lost. They were represented at the meeting. And we're being taken advantage of on trade."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"The European Union had a $151 Billion Surplus-should pay much more for Military!"

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the U.S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the U.S. is $151 Billion..."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"The European Union ... was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States."

In fact: Experts on the EU say that competing with the U.S. economically was not even on the list of the top reasons for the original formation of the European coalition or its evolution into the official European Union in 1993. "That effort was never to compete with the United States," said Maxime Larivé, associate director of the European Union Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Its original incarnation, an economic "community" created in the 1950s, was intended "to simply foster peace through trade and economic exchange" of coal and steel, Larivé said.

"It's very hard for us to sell our cars into the European Union. But the European Union -- in this case, Germany -- has its Mercedes and its BMWs and its cars pouring into the United States with no barriers."

In fact: The U.S. also has non-tariff trade barriers on European cars. These barriers include environmental standards that differ from those of the European Union. "It's worth noting that all countries have 'barriers' to foreign-sourced vehicles, and the U.S. is no exception. I refer to safety and emission laws," said Bill Hampton, editor-in-chief of AutoBeat Daily. "Volkswagen's diesel emission scandal is about this very issue: VW diesels that meet European emission standards aren't clean enough to meet our regulations. Rather than spend the money to add more sophisticated emission controls, VW opted for illegal software to game the emission test."

"And frankly, the European Union -- outside of China and a couple of others -- treats us, on trade, as badly as you can be treated. They have trade barriers. Our farmers aren't allowed, to a large extent, to sell their product into the European Union."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say they "aren't allowed, to a large extent," to make these sales. According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016. That is a 55 per cent increase, the department noted, from $7.5 billion in exports in 2006. The department also noted that the EU is the fourth-largest agricultural export market for the U.S.

"Look, the European Union has been terrible to the United States on trade. They've been terrible to our workers. The European Union -- last year, we had a trade deficit of $151 billion." And: "So we lost $151 billion last year dealing with the European Union."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"You know it sounds so nice, the European Union. You know why? I mean, they literally did, like I said: they formed to take advantage of the United States, and I don't blame them." And: "It was put there to take advantage of the United States, OK?"

In fact: Experts on the EU say that competing with the U.S. economically was not even on the list of the top reasons for the original formation of the European coalition or its evolution into the official European Union in 1993. "That effort was never to compete with the United States," said Maxime Larivé, associate director of the European Union Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Its original incarnation, an economic "community" created in the 1950s, was intended "to simply foster peace through trade and economic exchange" of coal and steel, Larivé said.

"Thank you, Chancellor. We need a reciprocal relationship, which we don't have. The United States right now has a trade deficit with the European Union of $151 billion."

In fact: As Trump correctly said in his prepared remarks earlier in this same press conference, the $151 billion deficit only counts trade in goods. Including trade in services as well, the net deficit was $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"We had a trade deficit with the European Union of $151 billion last year. That's unacceptable."

In fact: The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"The European Union, as an example, is very hard to do business. We lost $151 billion with the European Union last year, $151 billion."

In fact: This number counts only trade in goods and ignores trade in services, in which the U.S. has a significant surplus. Including all kinds of trade, the overall U.S. trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics.

"So we are opening up the European Union or we're not going to be very nice about it. At the European Union, we'll lose about $151 billion this year."

In fact: This figure excludes trade in services. The overall trade balance with the European Union in 2017 was a deficit of about $102 billion, according to U.S. government statistics. While the U.S. did have a trade deficit of over $151 billion if you only count goods, it also had a surplus of about $50 billion in the trade of services.

"The other thing is, if you look at the European Union -- we're talking to them -- I don't know if you realize it, but they have virtual barriers against even agriculture, from going in. So they sell us their Mercedes-Benzes, and they sell us their BMWs, and they sell all the different things. And we have no barriers whatsoever."

In fact: The U.S. also has non-tariff barriers -- policies, other than tariffs, that can restrict trade. On European cars, these barriers include environmental standards that differ from those of the European Union. "It's worth noting that all countries have 'barriers' to foreign-sourced vehicles, and the U.S. is no exception. I refer to safety and emission laws," said Bill Hampton, editor-in-chief of AutoBeat Daily. "Volkswagen's diesel emission scandal is about this very issue: VW diesels that meet European emission standards aren't clean enough to meet our regulations. Rather than spend the money to add more sophisticated emission controls, VW opted for illegal software to game the emission test."

"You (the European Union) are not accepting our product. They are not accepting our farm product. I want to help the farmers and they don't accept it. And I said open up your countries."

In fact: According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016. That is a 55 per cent increase, the department noted, from $7.5 billion in exports in 2006. The department also noted that the EU is the fourth-largest agricultural export market for the U.S.

"They banded together. Why did they band together? To screw the United States on trade. And that's OK. They are allowed, you know...But all those countries got together in order to do well on trade with the United States. People don't know that. You know, you hear European Union, oh, the European Union, sounds so innocent. It's not innocent."

In fact: Experts on the EU say that competing with the U.S. economically was not even on the list of the top reasons for the original formation of the European coalition or its evolution into the official European Union in 1993. "That effort was never to compete with the United States," said Maxime Larivé, associate director of the European Union Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Its original incarnation, an economic "community" created in the 1950s, was intended "to simply foster peace through trade and economic exchange" of coal and steel, Larivé said.

"You know, Sweden is, I think, the largest -- the eighth largest investor in the United States."

In fact: In a fact sheet posted online just two weeks before Trump made this remark, his State Department said: "Sweden is the 15th largest investor in the U.S."

"But it's like that with many countries, other than small -- the European Union has been particularly tough on the United States. They make it almost impossible for us to do business with them, and yet they send their cars and everything else back into the United States."

In fact: "Almost impossible to do business with them" is a gross exaggeration. Contrary to Trump's suggestion that trade with the European Union is a one-way street, the U.S. exported a record $284 billion in merchandise to the EU in 2017, according to U.S. government data, a new record and up 6 per cent from 2016.

"Now, the EU was conceived to the point that they wanted to do something to compete with the United States."

In fact: This is a vaguer version of an argument Trump made more clearly during his campaign, when he said the European Union was created to "beat the United States when it comes to making money." Experts on the EU say that competing with the U.S. economically was not even on the list of the top reasons for the original formation of the European coalition or its evolution into the official European Union in 1993. "That effort was never to compete with the United States but  to simply foster peace through trade and economic exchange" of coal and steel in the 50s.

"But, in a trade sense, they (European countries) have really taken advantage of us, and many of those countries are in NATO. And they weren't paying their bills."

In fact: NATO countries did not have unpaid bills. Trump was referring to the fact that some European countries had not been meeting their pledge to spend 2 per cent of their gross domestic product on defence. But this 2 per cent figure was merely a guideline or target, not an ironclad commitment, and countries' failure to meet it did not result in bills of any kind. (One could argue that Trump was speaking figuratively, but he has suggested on several occasions that NATO countries owe the U.S. an actual debt, so we believe he is making a literal claim that is false.)

"We have the best employment numbers probably that we have ever had...women unemployment, lowest in 66 years."

In fact: This was no longer even close to true at the time Trump spoke. It was almost true as of the previous month: the women's unemployment rate for May, reported in June, was 3.6 per cent, the same as in 1953, 65 years prior. But it rose to 4 per cent in June, which was merely the lowest since 2017 -- or, if you're only counting pre-Trump years, the lowest since 2000, 18 years ago.

"Presidents have been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Germany and other rich NATO Nations to pay more toward their protection from Russia. They pay only a fraction of their cost. The U.S. pays tens of Billions of Dollars too much to subsidize Europe, and loses Big on Trade!... This is now changing - for the first time!"

In fact: While NATO's secretary general has credited Trump for prompting recent military-spending increases by NATO members, this is not "the first time" that countries have increased their spending. Non-U.S. NATO members boosted spending by 1.84 per cent in 2015 and 3.08 per cent in 2016, before Trump took office, according to official NATO data.

"I think it's a horrible thing that Germany is doing...I think it's a horrible thing that you have a pipeline coming from Russia, and I believe that Germany is going to be getting 50, 60, or even, I've heard, numbers of 70 per cent of their energy coming in from Russia."

In fact: His "50, 60, or even...70 per cent" prediction is certain to be incorrect. The German energy lobby, the Federal Association of the German Energy and Water Industries , said that natural gas, from all countries, accounted for just 13 per cent of the German power mix in 2017. There is no chance that the construction of a new pipeline from Russia to Germany will result in Russia providing 50 per cent to 70 per cent of German energy.

"You know, we're in a big trade situation with China, as an example, where we're behind every year, for many years -- $500 billion."

In fact: The U.S. has never once had a $500 billion trade deficit with China, according to U.S. government data. The deficit was $337 billion in 2017.

"We have a strong and powerful NATO. When I became president, we didn't. We had people that weren't paying their bills..."

In fact: NATO countries did not have unpaid bills before Trump took office. Trump was referring to the fact that some European countries had not been meeting their pledge to spend 2 per cent of their gross domestic product on defence. But this 2 per cent figure was merely a guideline or target, not an ironclad commitment, and countries' failure to meet it did not result in bills of any kind. (One could argue that Trump was speaking figuratively, but he has suggested on several occasions that NATO countries owe the U.S. an actual debt, so we believe he is making a literal claim that is false.)

"Because in Germany, we have 52,000 troops."

In fact: The U.S. military had 47,492 personnel in Germany as of the end of March, three-and-a-half months prior to Trump's comment, including reservists and civilians, according to the latest report from the military's Defense Manpower Data Center. Of those people, 34,821 are on active duty.

"The United States was paying, you know, anywhere from 70 to 90. And I choose 90, depending on the way you want to calculate. We were paying 90 per cent of the cost of NATO."

In fact: There is no valid calculation under which the U.S. was "paying 90 per cent of the cost of NATO." According to NATO's 2018 annual report, U.S. defence spending represented 72 per cent of the alliance's total defence spending in 2017. Of NATO's own organizational budget, the U.S. contributes a much smaller agreed-upon percentage: 22 per cent.

"In fact, the GDP, since I've taken over, has doubled and tripled."

In fact: This is a wild exaggeration. U.S. gross domestic product grew by 2.3 per cent in 2017. It grew by 2 per cent in the first quarter of 2018.

"Two per cent (of GDP on the military) is not enough. Two per cent -- and some countries and don't pay that. And yet the United States says 4.2 per cent -- is the actual number, not three-and-a-half, it's 4.2 per cent of a much larger GDP."

In fact: The U.S. is indeed spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence, according to an official NATO estimate released this same month, down slightly from 3.57 in 2017.

"And that's, I guess, why we have NATO, and that's why we have a United States that just had the largest military budget ever -- $700 billion approved; $716 billion next year."

In fact: Neither of these budgets is the biggest ever. As the New York Times noted, Obama signed a $725 billion version of the same bill in 2011.

"You know, the 2 per cent (the promise by NATO members to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence) was a range, a goal. It wasn't something that they were committed to. Now it's a commitment. There's a big difference -- the 2 per cent number. And that's why so many people weren't reaching it or hitting it. It was just sort of like this amorphous number out there. Now it's a commitment, a real commitment."

In fact: Nothing has changed about the 2 per cent target: it remains a mere target. At this summit, NATO members simply reiterated their promise to hit the target by 2024: "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."

"Now, what has happened is, presidents over many years, from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama, they came in, they said, 'Okay, hey, do the best you can,' and they left. Nobody did anything about it. And it got to a point where the United States was paying for 90 per cent of NATO."

In fact: The U.S. is not paying for 90 per cent of NATO. According to NATO's 2018 annual report, U.S. defence spending represented 72 per cent of the alliance's total defence spending in 2017. Of NATO's own organizational budget, the U.S. contributes a much smaller agreed-upon percentage: 22 per cent.

"And if they (European leaders) don't negotiate in good faith, we'll do something having to do with all of the millions of cars that are coming into our country and being taxed at a virtually zero level, at a very low level."

In fact: "Very low" is fair enough, but "a virtually zero level" is an exaggeration. The U.S. has a 2.5 per cent tariff on cars imported from Europe.

"Now, the United States -- depending on the way you calculate it -- was at 4.2 per cent (spending of gross domestic product on the military). And I said, that's unfair."

In fact: The U.S. is spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence, according to an official NATO estimate released the month Trump spoke, down slightly from 3.57 in 2017.

"Our farmers have been shut out of the European Union."

In fact: While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say they have been "shut out of the European Union." According to the website of Trump's own Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"I told people that I'd be very unhappy if they didn't up their commitments very substantially, because the United States has been paying a tremendous amount, probably 90 per cent of the cost of NATO." And: "But the United States was paying for anywhere from 70 to 90 per cent of it, depending on the way you calculate. That's not fair to the United States."

In fact: There is no credible calculation that finds the U.S. is paying 90 per cent of the cost of NATO. According to NATO's latest annual report, U.S. defence spending represented 72 per cent of the alliance's total defence spending in 2017. Of NATO's own organizational budget, the U.S. contributes a much smaller agreed-upon percentage: 22 per cent.

"Prior to last year, where I attended my first meeting, it (military spending by NATO members) was going down -- the amount of money being spent by countries was going down and down very substantially. And now, it's going up very substantially." And: "I think NATO got -- you know what was happening with spending prior to my getting into office. The numbers were going down. Now the numbers have gone up like a rocket ship. The numbers have gone up a lot, and they've gone up rapidly. And they're now going up further."

In fact: NATO countries' military spending was increasing, not declining, before Trump took office on January 20, 2017. NATO figures show that spending by non-U.S. members declined about 2 per cent in each year from 2010 to 2013 and by about 1 per cent in 2014 -- but then rose 1.84 per cent in 2015 and 3.08 per cent in 2016.

"And we really accomplished a lot, with respect to NATO. For years, presidents have been coming to these meetings and talked about the expense -- the tremendous expense for the United States. And tremendous progress has been made; everyone has agreed to substantially up their commitment. They're going to up it at levels that they've never thought of before." And: "And now, people are going to start and countries are going to start upping their commitments. So I let them know yesterday, actually. I was surprised that you didn't pick it up; it took until today. But yesterday, I let them know that I was extremely unhappy with what was happening, and they have substantially upped their commitment, yeah. And now we're very happy and have a very, very powerful, very, very strong NATO, much stronger than it was two days ago."

In fact: There is no indication that NATO countries agreed to "substantially up their commitment" on military spending because of Trump's pressure at the summit, or that they were going to increase spending levels "they've never thought of before." The countries merely agreed to a declaration in which they reiterated their 2014 commitment to spend 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2024: "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." French President Emmanuel Macron explicitly rejected Trump's claim: "The communique is clear. It reaffirms a commitment to 2 per cent in 2024. That is all," he said.

"....On top of it all, Germany just started paying Russia, the country they want protection from, Billions of Dollars for their Energy needs coming out of a new pipeline from Russia."

In fact: This pipeline has not even been built yet. Germany has long paid Russia for natural gas; nothing "just" changed.

"Now, if you look at it, Germany is a captive of Russia because they supply. They got rid of their coal plants. They got rid of their nuclear. They're getting so much of the oil and gas from Russia."

In fact: Germany hasn't gotten rid of either its coal plants or its nuclear power. It does have a plan to close its nuclear plants by 2022, but this has not happened yet. Likewise, the government has created a task force to plan for the phasing out of coal, but this idea is still in the discussion stage; 37 per cent of Germany's power production came from coal in 2017. That was down from 40 per cent and above in years past, but coal is far from gone.

"On top of that, Germany is just paying a little bit over 1 per cent (on defence), whereas the United States, in actual numbers, is paying 4.2 per cent of a much larger GDP."

In fact: The U.S. is spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence, according to an official NATO estimate released the month Trump spoke, down slightly from 3.57 in 2017.

"Ultimately, Germany will have almost 70 per cent of their country controlled by Russia with natural gas...But Germany is totally controlled by Russia, because they will be getting from 60 to 70 per cent of their energy from Russia and a new pipeline."

In fact:  Trump's "70 per cent" prediction is certain to be incorrect. The German energy lobby, the Federal Association of the German Energy and Water Industries , said that natural gas, from all countries, accounted for just 13 per cent of the German power mix in 2017. There is no chance that the construction of a new pipeline from Russia to Germany will result in Russia providing 70 per cent of all of Germany's energy. (Also, of course, obtaining gas from Russia does not mean Germany is "totally controlled by Russia.")

"And many countries are not paying what they should. And, frankly, many countries owe us a tremendous amount of money for many years back, where they're delinquent, as far as I'm concerned, because the United States has had to pay for them."

In fact: NATO countries do not owe the U.S. money and are not delinquent in any literal way. Trump was referring to the fact that some European countries had not been meeting their pledge to spend 2 per cent of their gross domestic product on defence. But this 2 per cent figure was merely a guideline or target, not an ironclad commitment, and countries' failure to meet it did not result in debt of any kind. (One could argue that Trump was speaking figuratively, but he has suggested on several occasions that NATO countries owe the U.S. an actual debt, so we believe he is making a literal claim that is false.)

"We're being taken advantage of by the European Union. We lost $151 billion last year on trade."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"The European Union makes it impossible for our farmers and workers and companies to do business in Europe (U.S. has a $151 Billion trade deficit)..."

In fact: U.S. farmers, workers and businesses have not been shut out of Europe. According to Trump's Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. exported $270 billion in goods and $231 billion in services to the EU in 2016. While U.S. farmers do face some trade barriers in selling into the European Union, it is a gross exaggeration to say it is "impossible." According to the website of Trump's Department of Agriculture, the U.S. exported $11.6 billion in agricultural items to the European Union in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2017. The EU ranked fourth for U.S. agricultural exports in 2016 and fifth in 2017.

"The European Union makes it impossible for our farmers and workers and companies to do business in Europe (U.S. has a $151 Billion trade deficit)..."

In fact: The U.S. had a $102 billion trade deficit with the European Union in 2017. The $151 billion figure counts only trade in goods and excludes trade in services. 

"Many countries in NATO, which we are expected to defend, are not only short of their current commitment of 2% (which is low), but are also delinquent for many years in payments that have not been made. Will they reimburse the U.S.?"

In fact: NATO countries do not owe the U.S. money and are not delinquent in any literal way. NATO's target for members, of spending 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence, is merely a guideline or target, not an ironclad commitment, and countries' failure to meet it in the past did not result in debt of any kind. (One could argue that Trump was speaking figuratively, but he has suggested on several occasions that NATO countries owe the U.S. an actual debt, so we believe he is making a literal claim that is false.)