NATO leaders converge in London

President Donald Trump traded barbs with other NATO leaders ahead of a meeting scheduled to begin later on Tuesday in London. The leaders are aiming to issue a joint declaration about their commitment to mutual defense.

What caused the tension? Trump, in an interview with The Economist last month, criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for saying NATO is experiencing “brain death” and suggesting the organization has become obsolete. The U.S. president also criticized other leaders for not spending enough on military readiness, and Macron disagreed with Trump’s unilateral decision to pull troops from northern Syria. Increasingly close ties between Turkey, a NATO member, and Russia have also thrown NATO’s commitment to collective defense into doubt.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s notes in Globe Trot on NATO’s 70th anniversary in April.