Ohio Gov. John Kasich criticized President Trump’s “wrecking ball diplomacy” on Monday, as the president rounds out his European tour at the Helsinki summit.
“Many of these European leaders are just getting fed up and they really are beginning to wonder whether they can rely on us,” Mr. Kasich said during an interview on CNN’s “Newsroom.”
The governor said he didn’t appreciate the president’s rhetoric toward European allies. Mr. Kasich explained that he understood needing allies to contribute more, but also emphasized that he was worried about the “stability of the West.”
“When you start fraying relationships like that, and you get people in a position where they’re embarrassed by the United States, it doesn’t bode well when we need cooperation,” he said.
While Mr. Kasich is viewing the Helsinki summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mr. Trump with “great trepidation,” he urged Americans to hope that Mr. Trump “achieves something significant.”
The U.S. president employed tough talk toward allies throughout his European trip so far, at times directly criticizing Germany, British Prime Minister Theresa May and NATO, although Mr. Trump also praised each after meeting with leaders.
On Monday, the German foreign minister announced that Europe could not rely on the U.S. after Mr. Trump called the EU a “foe” over the weekend.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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