TRUMP

SCIUTTO Right now Defense ░░░░░░░░ Pete Hegseth meeting with ░░░░░░░░ counterpart at NATO headquarters ░░░░░░░░ Brussels Belgium on the ░░░░░░░░ Russia s war on ░░░░░░░░ He s the first ░░░░░░░░ of the new Trump ░░░░░░░░ to visit NATO and ░░░░░░░░ expected to push the ░░░░░░░░ and the E U ░░░░░░░░ assume more responsibility not ░░░░░░░░ for Ukraine but for ░░░░░░░░ s security and along ░░░░░░░░ way increase their defense ░░░░░░░░ Natasha Bertrand is live ░░░░░░░░ Brussels And Natasha I ░░░░░░░░ there was a great ░░░░░░░░ of concern in a ░░░░░░░░ Trump Administration that Trump ░░░░░░░░ even leave NATO potentially ░░░░░░░░ at least reduce U ░░░░░░░░ involvement Do European officials ░░░░░░░░ speak with still have ░░░░░░░░ concern BERTRAND They re ░░░░░░░░ concerned about the U ░░░░░░░░ pulling back right especially ░░░░░░░░ it comes to U ░░░░░░░░ support for Ukraine and ░░░░░░░░ have been bracing for ░░░░░░░░ and anticipating for that ░░░░░░░░ so far you know ░░░░░░░░ readouts that we ve ░░░░░░░░ getting from officials that ░░░░░░░░ been meeting with Hegseth ░░░░░░░░ all morning have been ░░░░░░░░ positive He s been ░░░░░░░░ with several defense ministers ░░░░░░░░ he met with the ░░░░░░░░ K defense minister he ░░░░░░░░ with the Danish defense ░░░░░░░░ which was obviously interesting ░░░░░░░░ all of the interest ░░░░░░░░ whether Trump is going ░░░░░░░░ try to do something ░░░░░░░░ Greenland He also met ░░░░░░░░ Italy and he is ░░░░░░░░ to meet here soon ░░░░░░░░ Germany So he s ░░░░░░░░ the rounds introducing himself ░░░░░░░░ no sign yet of ░░░░░░░░ that there is any ░░░░░░░░ on the part of ░░░░░░░░ U S to actually ░░░░░░░░ out of NATO or ░░░░░░░░ from NATO What Hegseth ░░░░░░░░ wants to convey to ░░░░░░░░ allies is that they ░░░░░░░░ to increase their defense ░░░░░░░░ a long time plea ░░░░░░░░ the Trump Administration of ░░░░░░░░ dating back to the ░░░░░░░░ Trump Administration as well ░░░░░░░░ increase their support their ░░░░░░░░ support to the Ukrainians ░░░░░░░░ the U S does ░░░░░░░░ want to carry that ░░░░░░░░ anymore according to Trump ░░░░░░░░ officials And so that ░░░░░░░░ going to be on ░░░░░░░░ agenda particularly at the ░░░░░░░░ defense contact group which ░░░░░░░░ going to be happening ░░░░░░░░ later today as well ░░░░░░░░ 2 30 here local ░░░░░░░░ where Hegseth is expected ░░░░░░░░ give opening remarks and ░░░░░░░░ is not going to ░░░░░░░░ chairing that meeting For ░░░░░░░░ first time in almost ░░░░░░░░ years the U S ░░░░░░░░ not going to be ░░░░░░░░ that meeting of a ░░░░░░░░ group that is aimed ░░░░░░░░ funneling and coordinating that ░░░░░░░░ assistance to Ukraine Instead ░░░░░░░░ s going to be ░░░░░░░░ U K So right ░░░░░░░░ you get a sense ░░░░░░░░ how much the U ░░░░░░░░ is trying to kind ░░░░░░░░ pull back here and ░░░░░░░░ Europe take the lead ░░░░░░░░ this something that the ░░░░░░░░ say look they re ░░░░░░░░ to do but the ░░░░░░░░ are a little bit ░░░░░░░░ skeptical saying look we ░░░░░░░░ course value our European ░░░░░░░░ but without strong U ░░░░░░░░ leadership we re very ░░░░░░░░ that the Russians are ░░░░░░░░ to try to steamroll ░░░░░░░░ this through this war ░░░░░░░░ of course through any ░░░░░░░░ negotiation that may take ░░░░░░░░ in the future, Jim.”