EU/FRANCE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/NATO: “Fresh off the loss of the Republican-controlled House and discord over firing his attorney general, President Donald Trump is trying to remind the world he’s still the boss. His two-day visit to France, which includes meetings and meals with French President Emmanuel Macron along with a ceremony to commemorate the end of World War I, gives Trump ample opportunities to project his commander-in-chief image after suffering the most serious political rebuke to his presidency so far. Trump immediately asserted himself during his first interaction with Macron on Saturday [11-10-18] morning, in which he urged NATO countries to contribute more to defense spending, a point he’s fixated on throughout his presidency…His comments came after Macron worked hard to subtly declare a truce between the two leaders. Trump had taken offense — and expressed so over Twitter late Friday [11-9-18] night — over Macron’s suggestion that the European Union needed its own army. Still, the relationship between the two leaders did not seem as warm Saturday as it did in past meetings when the two leaders mugged for the cameras, vigorously shook hands and patted each other on the back.”
–Nancy Cook, “Trump seeks to project strength abroad after discord at home,” Politico, November 9, 2018 10:06 am