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Trump Says Stoltenberg ‘Excited’ for Bigger NATO Role in Mideast

  • Stoltenberg has praised Trump for urging more defense spending
  • Trump called for NATO to help with fight against Islamic State
Jens Stoltenberg
Jens StoltenbergPhotographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
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President Donald Trump said that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was “excited” by the president’s suggestion that the alliance become more involved in the Middle East as tensions in the region flare.

“We had a great conversation about it,” Trump said Thursday at the White House. Trump said he had spoken with Stoltenberg on Wednesday, saying, “I’m good at names.” The president said he proposed calling the new Mideast mission “NATOME.”