Trump: I Don’t Blame the EU or Germany for Trade Deficits, I Blame My Predecessors

EXCERPT:

TRUMP: "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. And the chancellor and I have discussed it today at length. We’re working on it. And we want to make it more fair. And the chancellor wants to make it more fair. Same with NATO. We have a far greater burden than we should have. Other countries should be paying more. And I’m not saying Germany alone. Other countries should be paying more. We’re protecting Europe, and yet we pay by far more than anybody else. And NATO is wonderful, but it helps Europe more than it helps us. And why are we paying a vast majority of the costs? So we’re working on those things. It’s been unfair. And I don’t blame the chancellor. And I don’t blame Germany. I don’t blame the European Union. I blame the people preceding me for allowing this to happen. There’s no way we should have a trade deficit of $151 billion. So we’re going to make it reciprocal. We’re going to make it a much more fair situation. And I think in the end, everybody’s going to be very happy. I think both countries, I view this as many countries, but looking at it as one block, will really benefit. There’s tremendous, tremendous potential between the European Union and the United States. And I think that’s going to happen. There’s also tremendous benefit to NATO when people pay what they have to be paying. Some countries actually pay more than the rest of us. They think the United States is — I have been told by numerous countries. Poland being one. Poland is great. I mean, they pay actually a little bit more than they’re supposed to be paying or have to pay because they feel the United States is more than carrying the load. And perhaps they feel it’s not fair. But it’s something we very much appreciate. But I believe that -- you know when I look at the numbers in Germany and some other countries, they may not like Donald Trump. But you have to understand, that means I’m doing a good job because I’m representing the united States. Angela is representing Germany. She's doing a fantastic job. My predecessors did not do a very good job."