BREAKING: CBS News finally admitted the elections could be rigged easily
The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, talks with Foreign Minister Timo Soini, right, and Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom Finland during a meeting of foreign ministers of EU at the EU Council in Brussels, 16 January 2017.
BERLIN - countries of the European Union reacted with surprise and challenge Monday to comments made by the president-elect Donald Trump, who said in an interview that NATO was outdated and suggested that several member states leave the 28 countries the EU.
The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking before a meeting of foreign ministers of the EU, said the opinion of M. Trump on NATO and allied critics who weren t members pay their fair share caused astonishment.
His French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault added that the best response to such an interview was simple - Europeans unite together.
Trump Cabinet choices differing views of the elected president.
Candidates Cabinet of President-elect Donald Trump are at odds with the president elected on a surprising number of important issues retired Gen Ja.
Although Mr. Trump had made similar comments during her tumultuous election campaign, repeating the same points again hit Europe hard and still came as a bit of a surprise, as his choice for secretary of defense, General James Mattis, emphasized its support for the alliance in its US Congressional confirmation hearings last week.
Steinmeier said that the views of M. Trump in an interview with the German newspaper Bild and the London Times contradict the statement of Mattis.
Even in own comments Mr. Trump the Times of London denigrating NATO obsolete and unjust, he added that the alliance was very important to him for us.
A senior Russian official, meanwhile, suggested Mr. Trump position on NATO was the same as the Kremlin has married for a while, the transatlantic alliance agreement was obsolete.
Beyond NATO, Mr. Trump said it was irrelevant whether the EU is still together or not, a sharp break from the Obama administration, which encouraged Britain to remain in the EU last year before the U K voted in June from.
Donald Trump gives himself a new nickname Mr. Brexit.
Donald Trump messages on Twitter that they will soon call Mr. BREXIT.
Ayrault said the best way to defend Europe - and it is hosted by Trump - is to remain united together as a block.
Britain has decided to leave the EU in a vote in June In the interview, M. Trump said that I think others will go, I think the keep will not be all so easy as many people think.
Trump predicted Brexit - the British EU exit - end up being a great thing and said he was already looking forward to bilateral relations with Britain.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he is very good news that the United States wants to do a good free trade deal with us and wants to do it very quickly.
M. Trump was less good for leaders of German industry, saying their automakers, including BMW could face tariffs up to 35 percent if they have set up factories in Mexico instead of U S and try to export cars to the U S from there.
These rates make the US auto industry worse, weaker and more, Sigmar Gabriel, German Economy Minister, told Bild.
Gabriel suggested Europeans have more confidence to face M. Trump.
In response to the complaint of M. Trump that German car manufacturers don t act fairly because many German cars are seen in the U S, but few American cars are purchased in Germany, Gabriel suggested the solution might be that the US needs to build better cars.
2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved This product can not be published, broadcast or redistributed The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Germany and France say Donald Trump position on NATO Europe has caused astonishment CBS News, Germany, donald trump.