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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin might be easier than a gathering with NATO allies, as he left the White House for a week of high-profile diplomacy in Europe.
In a series of tweets and comments to reporters before departing, Trump took fresh aim at other NATO members for not meeting targets for defense spending, saying the arrangement was unfair to U.S. taxpayers.
His trip to Europe will also include a meeting in Britain with Prime Minister Theresa May, whose government is in disarray after a pair of key resignations, as well as a weekend of golf in Scotland.
"So I have NATO, I have the U.K. - which is somewhat in turmoil," Trump told reporters. "And I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think? Who would think?"
Asked if he considers Putin a friend or a foe, Trump said: "I really can't say right now. As far as I'm concerned, he's a competitor."
"I think that getting along with Russia, getting along with China, getting along with others is a good thing, not a bad thing," he added. "I've said that many times for many years. So we'll see. We're meeting with Vladimir Putin on Monday. We'll see how that goes."
Trump also declined to say whether May should stay in power.
"Well, that's up to the people," he said. "I get along with her very well. I have a very good relationship. That's certainly up to the people, not up to me."
Trump also offered kind words for Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary who is a frontman for Britain's campaign to leave the European Union and one of the recent departures from May's government.
"Boris Johnson's a friend of mine," Trump said. "He's been very, very nice to me. Very supportive. And maybe we'll speak to him when I get over there."
Trump's comments came in advance of a week-long trip that has already riled many leaders within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Days after their meeting in Brussels, Trump plans to sit down with Putin for their first one-on-one summit, a meeting in Helsinki, that could be more cordial, further straining the long-standing military alliance.
"Getting ready to leave for Europe. First meeting - NATO,"Trump wrote in his series of early morning tweets."The U.S. is spending many times more than any other country in order to protect them. Not fair to the U.S. taxpayer."
In a second tweet, the president wrote: "NATO countries must pay MORE, the United States must pay LESS. Very Unfair!"
Trump has long been spoiling for a fight on the issue of defense spending, latching onto the notion that each NATO country should be paying at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product toward its military.
"I'm going to tell NATO - you got to start paying your bills," he told a rowdy rally in Montana last week. "The United States is not going to take care of everything. We are the schmucks that are paying for the whole thing."
Last month, he sent letters to leaders whose countries are not living up to their NATO defense spending pledges, warning that the United States might cut them off if they don't pour more money into their militaries. But NATO members, including Germany, argue they have boosted contributions as part a pledge to kick in at least 2 percent of annual economic output by the middle of the next decade.
Trump also has questioned why the United States should run a trade deficit with nations it is spending money to protect, suggesting he could use security guarantees as a bargaining chip in trade talks.
Trump's tweet on Tuesday echoed another one from Monday, in which he singled out Germany for not meeting defense spending targets.
Before departing the White House shortly after 7 a.m., Trump also fired off another tweet claiming credit for an economy that is "ROARING" and a Supreme Court nomination that he said has received "GREAT REVIEWS."
He also noted a poll of his job approval among fellow Republicans, writing: "Wow!"
Previously:
• /06/28/18: In Arizona, more Dems view Sens. McCain and Flake favorably than members of their own party
• /02/20/18: Romney had previously called President Trump 'a phony' and a 'fraud.' But that was before he announced his senate bid
• /01/31/18: Trump appeals for bipartisanship in repairing nation's infrastructure
• /12/07/17: Once a populist, Trump governs like a conservative Republican
• /11/20/17: Bannon's influence gets an early test
• /05/29/17: Amid escalating Russia crisis, Trump considers major staff changes
• /02/27/17: Trump faces a pivotal week ahead as he addresses jittery GOP lawmakers
• /10/20/16: Debates have revealed real weaknesses for Hillary that could nag at her in the campaign's final days and, if she wins, hamper her ability to pull the country together and govern effectively
• /10/05/16: Kaine's debate performance threatens to undercut his pick for Clinton veep: Image of authenticity
• /09/12/16: GOTCHA! Clinton memo revealed: Pressed about the 'deplorables' comment? Accuse the media of a double standard
• /07/04/16: Does Hillary Clinton really need Elizabeth Warren on the ticket?