Trump Undercuts Leader of Britain After Nato Clash
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
C M Y K Nxxx,2018-07-13,A,001,Bs-4C,E2 Late Edition Today, sunny to partly cloudy, low humidity, high 83. Tonight, partly cloudy, low 70. Tomorrow, periodic clouds and sunshine, warm, high 86. Weather map appears on Page B16. VOL. CLXVII ... No. 58,022 © 2018 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2018 $3.00 TRUMP UNDERCUTS LEADER OF BRITAIN AFTER NATO CLASH In Her Country, the President Criticizes the Prime Minister’s Brexit Plan By STEPHEN CASTLE and JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS LONDON — President Trump would be a great prime minister. I put his brand of confrontational think he’s got what it takes and I and disruptive diplomacy on full think he’s got the right attitude to display Thursday, unsettling be a great prime minister.” NATO allies with a blustering per- Coming after his combative formance in Brussels and then, in performance in Brussels with a remarkable breach of protocol, leaders of the 28 other NATO na- publicly undercutting Prime Min- tions, the day amounted to a ister Theresa May of Britain in an global disruption tour unlike any- interview published hours after thing undertaken by any other re- landing in her country. cent American president. In the interview with The Sun, In Brussels on Thursday, Mr. Mr. Trump second-guessed Mrs. Trump said he supported NATO May’s handling of the main issue but seemed to suggest that the on her plate: how Britain should United States could leave if the al- cut ties to the European Union. He lies didn’t increase defense spend- cast doubt on whether he was will- ing. He claimed credit for pressing ing to negotiate a new trade deal members to pledge increases in between Britain and the United their military budgets, though States, and praised Mrs. May’s some denied any such promises DOUG MILLS/THE NEW YORK TIMES Conservative Party rival, Boris were made. The first lady, Melania Trump, President Trump, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain and her husband, Philip May, on Thursday. Johnson, as a potentially great Mr. Trump did sign on to a prime minister. NATO plan to improve military The interview was published as readiness across the Continent, Mr. Trump and Mrs. May were and the allies agreed to take a wrapping up what appeared to be tough stance against Russia, par- Fire vs. Fury as F.B.I. Agent Defends His Actions a chummy dinner at Blenheim ticularly regarding its annexation U.S. AGAIN FIGHTS Palace — earlier, they had walked of Crimea. attacks that showcased the deep the now-gaping divide over the inside holding hands — and a day But the NATO meeting created partisan divide over the federal in- F.B.I. and Justice Department, ahead of the president’s sched- a picture of discord days before By NICHOLAS FANDOS Mr. Trump was scheduled to meet AT&T MEGA-DEAL vestigation into whether the said that Republicans, by launch- uled meeting with Queen Eliza- with President Vladimir V. Putin WASHINGTON — The embat- Trump campaign colluded with ing their own politically motivated beth II at Windsor Castle. There of Russia. tled F.B.I. agent who oversaw the Russia to influence the outcome of investigation of the investigators was no immediate response from The Sun’s interview with Mr. opening of the Russia investiga- the 2016 election. The perform- in an attempt to bolster Mr. the British government. Appeal of a Decision That Trump, conducted Wednesday in tion mounted an aggressive de- Trump, were ignoring an attack “Well I think the deal that she is Brussels, signaled a new twist on Encouraged Mergers fense of himself and the F.B.I. on by a hostile foreign power on striking is not what the people Thursday, rejecting accusations the “special relationship” between American democracy. voted on,” Mr. Trump said in the that he let his private political Britain and the United States. The The public comments were Mr. interview, speaking of the ap- views bias his official actions and White House went into damage By CECILIA KANG Strzok’s first since volumes of pri- proach Mrs. May is taking to Brit- labeling Republicans’ preoccupa- control mode after it was pub- and EDMUND LEE vate text messages between him ain’s exit from the European Un- tion with him “another victory ion, or Brexit, under which the lished on Thursday night. The federal government on notch in Putin’s belt.” and Ms. Page were disclosed in a “The President likes and re- report by the Justice Depart- British economy would effectively Thursday mounted a new effort to “Let me be clear, unequivocally spects Prime Minister May very ment’s inspector general that continue to be subject to many Eu- unravel AT&T’s deal with Time and under oath: Not once in my 26 ropean regulations. much,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Warner, a blockbuster merger found no evidence that their per- years of defending my nation did Speaking of Mr. Johnson, who Mr. Trump’s press secretary, said that has already started to re- sonal views had swayed the out- my personal opinions impact any resigned this week as foreign sec- in a statement. “As he said in his shape the media industry. come on the Hillary Clinton email official action I took,” the agent, retary in protest over Mrs. May’s interview with The Sun she ‘is a The deal was finalized a month case. The agent concluded his Peter Strzok, told House lawmak- Brexit strategy and who has long very good person’ and he ‘never ago, after a federal judge rejected opening remarks on Thursday ers investigating what Republi- been seen as likely to challenge said anything bad about her.’” the government’s argument that with a pointed broadside against cans say is evidence of rampant ERIN SCHAFF FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES her for her job, Mr. Trump said: The statement said Mr. Trump the $85.4 billion agreement would his antagonizers. bias at the top levels of the F.B.I. Peter Strzok of the F.B.I. at his “Well I am not pitting one against “is thankful for the wonderful wel- harm competition and con- “I understand we are living in a But in defending himself and his heated hearing on Thursday. the other. I’m just saying I think he Continued on Page A6 sumers. agency, Mr. Strzok had to weather political era in which insults and The combination of the two hours of blistering attacks by Re- insinuation often drown out hon- companies has created a media publicans, who accused him not ance by Republicans, echoing Mr. esty and integrity,” Mr. Strzok and telecommunications giant only of personal animus toward Trump’s own lines of attack, dem- said, continuing: “I have the ut- with television stations, a movie President Trump but also of bla- onstrated just how far many in the most respect for Congress’s over- As Trump Hits Ally of Cuomo studio, nearly 160 million wireless tant lying and moral misconduct party have moved since the days sight role, but I truly believe that customers and a nationwide satel- with a senior F.B.I. lawyer, Lisa when they were seen as the party today’s hearing is just another vic- lite television service, DirecTV. An Page. of law enforcement, deferential to tory notch in Putin’s belt and an- China, Detroit Is Found Guilty AT&T executive is already in It was a remarkable day of its power and prerogatives. other milestone in our enemies’ charge of Time Warner properties shouting matches and personal Democrats, on the other side of Continued on Page A15 Braces for Pain In Bid Scheme like HBO and the news network CNN. The judge’s decision had almost By ANA SWANSON By BENJAMIN WEISER immediately set off a round of in- Inside the Final Stretch and JESSE McKINLEY tense deal talks among many of DETROIT — China’s flag flies the biggest names in the industry, A SEAL team member high above Henniges Automotive, Alain E. Kaloyeros, a principal including Comcast and 21st Cen- described some of the alongside those of Germany, Mex- architect of Gov. Andrew M. Cuo- tury Fox. Many media executives, obstacles that rescuers ico, Canada and other nations, re- mo’s signature economic develop- including those at AT&T and Time faced to save 12 boys flecting the global nature of Michi- ment initiative, was convicted on 65-foot Warner, say mergers among their and their soccer gan’s auto industry and, increas- Thursday in a bid-rigging scheme rope line companies are necessary to better coach in a Thai cave. ingly, its reliance on Beijing. that steered hundreds of millions compete against tech giants like Henniges, which produces seal- of dollars in state contracts to fa- Netflix and Amazon. Steep ing products for cars, was bought vored companies in Buffalo and The Department of Justice filed downhill in 2015 by the Aviation Industry Syracuse. its notice of appeal on the same Corporation of China, a state- Dr. Kaloyeros, 62, was found day that Netflix beat out HBO for owned company that has snapped guilty of wire fraud and conspir- 30- to the most Emmy nominations — Sand up other investments in the De- acy in the fourth week of a federal ending the premium channel’s 17- 50-foot troit area, including the automo- trial in Manhattan that invited slide Water tive supplier Nexteer, which sits harsh scrutiny of Mr. Cuomo’s am- year run as the most-nominated Water outlet. and sand just across Interstate 75 from bitious plan to revitalize upstate The Justice Department de- Henniges.