Developments Thursday concerning President Donald Trump include his lecturing of fellow leaders of NATO member countries, efforts to repair relations with Britain after U.S. officials leaked information regarding the Manchester attacks, and news that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is under scrutiny by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Russia probe, according to media reports:
WATCH: Trump speaks to NATO leaders
Trump Lectures NATO Leaders on Insufficient Defense Spending — U.S. President Donald Trump publicly lectured his fellow NATO leaders Thursday for not paying their fair share for defense, and he urged them to be more focused on terrorism. Trump was speaking at a ceremony to unveil a memorial symbolizing the commitment of NATO members to the principle of collective defense, as outlined in Article Five of the alliance treaty. The memorial is a twisted piece of metal from remains of the World Trade Center, a reminder that the only time Article Five was invoked was after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
Defying Pessimists, NATO Summit Ends on Positive Note — Under a sunny spring sky, NATO on Thursday moved into brand new, shiny headquarters projecting a modern, forward-looking image that counters the characterization that U.S. President Donald Trump and other critics of the alliance have previously made of the organization. Amid the anxiety felt by some European leaders about the future, some see Thursday’s NATO summit — where discussions were driven largely by the latest spate of terrorist attacks in Europe — as a possibility for a new direction for the alliance.
Trump ‘Deeply Troubled’ Over Leaked Information in Manchester Blast Probe — President Donald Trump says he is deeply troubled by leaks to U.S. media about the Manchester bombing investigation in Britain and promises an investigation. Leaked details about the probe, including the bomber’s name and police pictures of the evidence, have incensed British investigators. They briefly suspended sharing information with the U.S. Thursday.
Britain’s May to Confront Trump About Leaks of Manchester Intelligence — British Prime Minister Theresa May says she will raise concerns Thursday with President Donald Trump over U.S. leaks to the media revealing details of the Manchester bombing investigation.
Trump Son-in-law Kushner Under FBI Scrutiny in Russia Probe, Media Reports — President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser, is under scrutiny by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Russia probe, the Washington Post and NBC News reported on Thursday. Kushner is being investigated because of his meetings in December and other possible interactions with the Russian ambassador and a banker from Moscow, the Post reported, citing people familiar with the investigation.
Sessions Vows to Take Trump Travel Order to Supreme Court — U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday that he would ask the Supreme Court to review an appeals court ruling that blocks President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting travel to the U.S. from six predominantly Muslim countries.
Lawmaker: FBI Says No, for Now, to Request for Comey-linked Documents — The Federal Bureau of Investigation has declined for now to give the House Oversight Committee documents it had requested regarding communications between former FBI chief James Comey and President Donald Trump, the head of the panel said Thursday.
WATCH: Trump, Macron shake hands
Trump Handshake Showdown: France’s Macron Just Won’t Let Go — U.S. President Donald Trump met his match in a handshake showdown with France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron. At their first meeting, ahead of a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday, the two men locked hands for so long that knuckles started turning white. Trump finally seemed ready to pull away — but Macron evidently wasn’t. The French leader held the shake for a few seconds more. Both men’s jaws seemed to clench.
Trump Seeks to End Program for Older Jobless Americans — The half-century-old Senior Community Service Employment Program is a training and placement program underwritten by taxpayers aimed at putting older Americans back into the workforce. But Trump says there are too few participants who find work that’s not paid for by the federal government. This week, he proposed deleting the $434 million program from the federal budget — a strike at a piece of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty.
WATCH: Obama on refugees and immigrants
Obama Gets Rock Star Welcome in Berlin, Praises Merkel — Barack Obama received a rock-star welcome in Berlin as he appeared at a public debate Thursday with Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he praised as one of his “favorite partners” during his presidency. Security was tight in front of the German capital’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, where Obama and Merkel appeared on a podium before thousands of people attending a gathering marking the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Trump’s Budget Director: Health Care Bill Would Curtail Health Care Costs — U.S. President Donald Trump’s budget director told the Senate Budget Committee Thursday that Republican legislation aimed at revamping the nation’s health care law would curtail the growth of health care costs. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told lawmakers that the bill would achieve savings through “structural changes” that would “put the states much more in control over how they administer health care at the local level.”
Reports: US Job Market Remains Strong; Merchandise Trade Deficit Gets Worse — New data Thursday paint a mixed picture of the U.S. economy. A report on the job market shows a slight increase in the number of people signing up for unemployment assistance last week. But the data also show that the number of people laid off remains at a low level consistent with a strong job market, where it has been for well over two years.
Is Trump Tired or Staying True to Form During Foreign Trip? — U.S. President Donald Trump returns to Washington this weekend with a fistful of business contracts to boost his domestic jobs campaign, and commitments from allies for greater cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Maybe just as important, the exhaustive 9-day tour has provided the president a respite from his domestic troubles, giving him an opportunity to shine on the world stage. But the trip also has raised speculation about the 70-year-old president’s physical stamina.
WATCH: VOA’s Luis Ramirez in Brussels
Protests Target Both NATO and Trump in Brussels — NATO leaders arrived in Brussels amid tight security for a summit Thursday dominated by the terrorist attack in Manchester, England. Thousands of leftist demonstrators marched in central Brussels Wednesday, protesting against both NATO and Trump. Some carried picket signs and banners with obscenities insulting the U.S. leader.
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