memeorandum: Favoring Foes Over Friends, Trump Threatens to Upend International Order (Peter Baker/New York Times)

6:15 PM ET, February 11, 2024

Top Items:

GOP senators defy Trump by advancing foreign aid bill — The vote was a decisive 67-27. — Donald Trump spent the weekend telling senators they should not pass more unconditional U.S. foreign aid. More than a dozen Republicans ignored him Sunday, moving forward on a bill to send $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

Discussion: CNN, Digby's Hullabaloo, Al Jazeera, The Times of Israel, The Post Millennial and The Hill

Kelly Garrity / Politico:

‘Enough to make Reagan ill’: Trump's NATO remarks under fire — “Honestly this seems kinda important,” said Sen. Brian Schatz. — Democrats and some Republicans were quick to condemn Donald Trump after the former president said Saturday night he would “encourage” Russia to attack …

Discussion: The Hill, RedState, Politico, Al Jazeera, Forbes, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and Diane Ravitch's blog

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Favoring Foes Over Friends, Trump Threatens to Upend International Order — Former President Donald J. Trump suggested that he would incite Russia to attack “delinquent” U.S. allies, foreshadowing potentially far-reaching changes in the world order if he wins the White House again.

Discussion: Mother Jones and Boston Herald

James FitzGerald / BBC:

Trump says he would ‘encourage’ Russia to attack Nato allies who do not pay their bills — Watch: Trump would not protect countries from attack by Russia if they do not pay enough into Nato — Donald Trump has said he would “encourage” Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay …

Discussion: The Mahablog

Stephen Fowler / NPR:

Trump says he wouldn't defend NATO allies from Russia if they're ‘delinquent’ — CONWAY, S.C. - Former President Donald Trump said America would not defend NATO allies against Russia if they did not meet his definition of contributing enough defense spending, threatening to upend the alliance if elected president again in 2024.

Discussion: UPROXX and MeidasTouch

Kate Sullivan / CNN:

Trump says he would encourage Russia to ‘do whatever the hell they want’ to any NATO country that doesn't pay enough — Former President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn't meet spending guidelines …

Discussion: Semafor, HuffPost, RedState, The Daily Beast, Associated Press, Mediaite, Breitbart, Benzinga and The Hill

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Trump meets with GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson — The former president had dinner with the casino executive on Thursday. — Former President Donald Trump dined with casino executive Miriam Adelson in Las Vegas on Thursday, his latest indication he is moving to consolidate the support of the Republican donor class.

Discussion: Atlanta Black Star and Political Wire

Frank Gardner / BBC:

Nato says Trump comments ‘undermine all of our security’ — And so it begins. Nine months still to go before the next US presidential election and already the Republican party favourite and former President Donald Trump is sending eyebrows and blood pressure skywards in Nato capitals with his provocative statements.

Discussion: Breitbart, The Hill and Blue Virginia

Edward Helmore / The Guardian:

Trump says he would encourage Russia to attack Nato allies who pay too little — Republican senator Marco Rubio seeks to downplay meaning of remarks as White House describes them as ‘unhinged’ — A Republican senator has sought to calm rising European security anxieties created by Donald Trump …

Discussion: Althouse, Blue Virginia, Fox News and Business Insider

David Cohen / Politico:
Rubio declines to criticize Trump over comments on Haley's husband

Discussion: CBS News, MeidasTouch, Raw Story, Business Insider, The Hill, The Daily Beast, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, RedState, USA Today, New York Post, CNN, PoliticusUSA, KSNG-TV, NewsNation and NBC News

Axios:
Biden's no-win immigration problem

Discussion: Business Insider, Benzinga, The Hill, Louisiana Illuminator, New York Post, The American Spectator, National Review and USA Today

Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:
Trump Encourages Putin to Attack NATO Members

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Reuters, Al Jazeera, New York Times, NBC News, Axios, No More Mister Nice Blog, MeidasTouch, Boing Boing, Associated Press, Sun-Sentinel, Outside the Beltway, Politico, Raw Story, Breitbart and HuffPost

David Jackson / USA Today:
Donald Trump threatens NATO, says he would ‘encourage’ Russia to ‘do whatever the hell they want’

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, NBC News, CNN, UPI, PBS NewsHour, New York Times, PoliticusUSA, The Guardian, Raw Story, Reuters and ABC News

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Final Proof That Trump's Appeal Was Never About the Economy

Discussion: Benzinga

Michael Gold / New York Times:
Trump Says He Gave NATO Allies Warning: Pay In or He'd Urge Russian Aggression

Discussion: Vanity Fair, PoliticusUSA, Balloon Juice, The Hill, NBC News, Bloomberg, Raw Story, Press Herald, New York Magazine, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Gateway Pundit and Political Wire

Wall Street Journal:
Trump Is Strongest GOP Leader Standing as Johnson, McConnell Take Flak

Discussion: Reuters and HuffPost

Marianne LeVine / Washington Post:
Trump suggests he'd disregard NATO treaty, urge Russian attacks on allies

Discussion: CNN, Letters from an American, Chicago Tribune, Mock Paper Scissors and The Hill

Andrea Vacchiano / Fox News:
Trump mocks Haley by asking where her deployed husband is: 'Where is he? He's gone'

Discussion: New York Post, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Raw Story, Mediaite and Associated Press

Erik Wasson / Bloomberg:
Trump's NATO Remark Sparks Political Storm in World Capitals

Discussion: New York Times, Associated Press and Talking Points Memo

CNN:
Trump attacks Haley for absence of her husband, who is deployed

Meredith Deliso / ABC News:

Overwhelming majority of Americans think Biden is too old for another term: POLL — A majority also think Trump is too old for a second term. — President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6, 2024.

Discussion: Fox News, RedState, Washington Times, Associated Press, IJR and Political Wire

Sarah Siock / The Hill:
Overwhelming majority think Biden is too old to serve following Hur report: Poll

Discussion: New York Post and Politico

Fritz Farrow / ABC News:
Sen. Coons gets animated arguing that Biden's apparent memory slips aren't ‘what matters’ in 2024 race

Discussion: The Hill, RedState, Raw Story, The Post Millennial, Washington Times and Breitbart

Miranda Nazzaro / The Hill:
Trump says 'there's no way' Taylor Swift will endorse Biden

Discussion: Washington Examiner, HuffPost, Bloomberg, New York Magazine, Forbes, Business Insider, USA Today, Fox News, The Hollywood Reporter, Politico, New York Post, Rolling Stone, TMZ.com, The Post Millennial, Raw Story, PoliticusUSA and Billboard

Politico:
Playbook: ‘Wild’ and ‘dangerous’ Trump upstages ‘elderly’ Biden

Discussion: nationalinterest.org and The Guardian

FrameLab:
Is the press trying to help elect Trump?

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, OLD GOATS with Jonathan Alter and New York Times

Washington Post:

Biden moving closer to a breach with Netanyahu over war in Gaza — Some of Biden's aides are urging him to publicly criticize the Israeli prime minister as casualties mount — President Biden and his top aides are closer to a breach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu …

Discussion: Business Insider, New York Times, Washington Examiner, Rolling Stone, Bloomberg, Reuters, Balloon Juice and Benzinga

U.S. Department of Defense:

Statement From Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Health Status — Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following statement: — Today, at approximately 2:20 pm, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was transported …

ABC News:

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin taken to hospital again, for potential ‘emergent bladder issue’ — “The Secretary is retaining the functions and duties of his office.” — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivers remarks during a meeting with Kenyan Defense Minister Aden Duale at the Pentagon on Feb. 07, 2024 in Arlington, Va.

Discussion: NBC News and Task & Purpose

CNN:

McCarthy foes face blowback as primary threats grow and GOP donors shut their wallets — Watch CNN's coverage of the eight House Republicans who voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy on “Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju” at 11 a.m. ET. — CNN — Donors no longer want to contribute to their campaigns.

Discussion: Raw Story and Digby's Hullabaloo