Trump plans billions in arms sales as NATO summit tests alliance frayed by Iran war: Daddy isnt going anywhere

WASHINGTON — One year after President Trump was dubbed “Daddy” by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the annual summit of the Atlantic alliance, the chief executive is returning with plans for billions in arms deals meant to push Europe to boost military spending — and show that “Daddy isn’t going anywhere” .Trump will arrive Tuesday for the two-day gathering in Ankara, Turkey, just three months after saying he was “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing from NATO in retribution for allies refusing US planes and ships access to key facilities during the Iran war.The president chalked up his attendance to his fondness for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but administration officials expect Trump to use the summit to recommit to America’s role leading the 77-year-old bloc, even if he has to play disciplinarian.“The takeaway from last year’s NATO conference was ‘Daddy’s Home,’ and after this week’s visit, NATO countries will be forced to concede, ‘Daddy isn’t going anywhere,'” said Taylor Budowich, a close Trump adviser and former White House deputy chief of staff.“President Trump has rebuilt NATO in his image and the body will be leveraged to serve the interests of the West, and not the interests of the world in spite of the West.”A joint commitment by NATO leaders to spend 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035, agreed to last year at Trump’s urging, calls for 3.5% to go toward core military spending with 1.5% set aside for broader projects that “protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation, and strengthen our defense industrial base.”An administration official told reporters Sunday that “we’re going to have billions of dollars in [US arms-sale] announcements on the sidelines of the summit” and that Trump and Rutte will “press European members to make their 5%-by-2035 pledge a binding commitment rather than an aspi...