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As Donald Trump took the podium on a cold Washington day to deliver his inauguration speech, the world held its breath. Viewers hunched over televisions or internet streaming services watched Trump mouth thank you to the camera, no doubt wondering how he could possibly live up to his deranged late-night Twitter persona. In newsrooms across America, reporters unsure when they might next get access to a president whoseems to delight in denying them the right to ask questionsgot ready to parse his words for any clue as to what was to come. Some, deciding they couldnt bear to watch, studiously busied themselves with other things.

But when the moment came, Trumps speech was uncharacteristically professional at least compared to his previous performances. The fractured, repetitive grammar that marks many of his off-the-cuff statements was missing, and so, too, were most of his most controversial policy ideas.

Trump told the crowd that his presidency would determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come before expressing his gratefulness to President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for their gracious aid during the transition. They have been magnificent,"Trump said, before leading applause of thanks from the crowd.

If this opening was innocent enough, however, it all changed in the next breath. The new president moved quickly to the historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before, that elected him President. Following the small-state rhetoric of his campaign, Trump promised to take power from the establishment and restore it to the American people. This moment," he told them, Is your moment. It belongs to you.

A good deal of the speech was given over to re-iterating his nationalist positions while also making repeated references to the key issues Islamic terrorism and families that remain points of commonality within the fractured Republican GOP.

The loss of business to overseas producers was blamed for destroying our jobs. Protection," Trump said, Will lead to great strength." He promised to end what he called the American carnage caused by drugs and crime.

From this day forward," Trump said, Its going to be only America first."

There was plenty in the speech, then, that should worry viewers, particularly if you read Trumps promises to make America unstoppable so it can win againin light of his recent tweets about China.

Butit was the things Trump didn't mention that should worry us most. Trump, we know, doesnt use official channelsto communicate his most troubling ideas. From bizarre television interviews to hisupsetting and offensive ralliesand, of course, the infamous tweets, the new President is inclined to fling his thoughts into the world as and when he sees fit, not on the occasions when hes required to address the nation (see, also, his anodyne acceptance speech).

Its important to remember that Trumps administration wins when it makes itself seem as innocent as possible. During the speech, Iwas remindedof my colleague Helen Lewisrecent thoughts on the gaslighter-in-chief, reflecting on Trumps lying claim that he never mocked a disabled reporter. Now we can see," she wrote, Afalse narrative being built in real time, tweet by tweet."

Saying things that are untrue isnt the only way of lying it is also possible to lie by omission.

There has been much discussion as to whether Trump will soften after he becomes president. All the things this speech did not mention were designed to keep us guessing about many of the Presidents most controversial promises.

Trump did not mention his proposed ban on Muslims entering the US, nor the wall he insists he will erect between America and Mexico (which he maintains the latter will pay for). He maintained a polite coolness towards the former Presidentand avoiding any discussion ofalleged cuts to anti-domestic violence programsandabortion regulations. Why?Trump wanted to leave viewers unsure as to whether he actually intends to carry through on hiselection rhetoric.

To understand what Trump is capable of, therefore, it is best not to look to his speeches on a global stage, but to thepromiseshe makes to his allies. So when the Presidents personal website still insists he will build a wall, end catch-and-release, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where adequate screening cannot occur; when, despite saying heunderstands only 3 per cent of Planned Parenthood services relate to abortion and that millions of women are helped by their cancer screening, he plans to defund Planned Parenthood; when the president says he will remove gun-free zones around schools on his first day - believe him.

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For the Ukip press officer I slept with, the European Union was Daddy - New Statesman

Newly elected European Parliament's President Antonio Tajani attends a debate on the priorities of the incoming Malta Presidency of the EU for the next six months at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 18, 2017.. (photo credit:REUTERS/CHRISTIAN HARTMANN)

European Jewish groups on Wednesday welcomed the installment of Antonio Tajani as the European Parliament president.

Tajani, 63, of the center-right European Peoples Party, beat Center-Left leader and fellow Italian Gianni Pittella by 351 votes to 282. Tajani is an ally of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and a former vice president of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

Moscow Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, said that at a Conference dinner in the Great Synagogue of Europe in Brussels in September, Tajani had reassured him that he would do everything in his powers to preserve the rights and safety of the Jewish community in Europe.

Goldschmidt continued, We look forward to working with Mr. Tajani in his new role as we continue to work toward making Europe a safe, open and inclusive place for members of all religions to call home.

The American Jewish Congress congratulated Tajani on his election.

The AJCongress looks forward to working with Mr.

Tajani during his stewardship of the European Parliament, to further strengthen the strong relationship between Israel and the European Union, AJC President Jack Rosen said.

Throughout his time in the European Parliament, Mr. Tajani has been a strong supporter of Israel, he continued. Notably, Mr. Tajani led a delegation of industry associations and company representatives from EU countries to Israel, to strengthen business relations between the EU and Israel.

The AJCongress hopes that Mr. Tajani will continue his strong support for Israel in his new role, Rosen said.

One of Tajanis first activities in his new post will be to host the EU event to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day next week, held every January at the European Parliament in collaboration with the European Jewish Congress.

European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor lauded Tajanis involvement in this event, saying that his ongoing concerns for the preservation of the memory of the Holocaust and for fighting antisemitism and racism are commendable.

We welcome the election of new European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, Kantor said. We very much look forward to working with him on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

President Tajani has been a good friend of the Italian Jewish community and the State of Israel and has been a fearless proponent of stronger ties between Israel and the European Union, especially in trade and technological cooperation, Kantor added.

Kantor paid tribute to Martin Schulz, whom Tajani succeeded on Tuesday, for ensuring that the Holocaust remembrance event became an official annual event in the European Parliament.

We are very grateful for the friendship and assistance that president Schulz has shown us at the EJC and the wider European Jewish community during his tenure, Kantor said. We especially thank him for his work on ensuring that this event takes place and is well attended by all levels of the European Union.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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New York Times

UK Set to Choose Sharp Break From European Union New York Times LONDON If British plans for leaving the European Union have been a dance of the seven veils, the British government removed one of them on Sunday, letting slip to news media that Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to choose to exit Europe's single ... EU politicians and businesses warn May over 'difficult' BrexitThe Guardian In Brexit speech, British PM outlines clean break from European UnionChicago Tribune May sets out Brexit vision with vow to quit European Union single marketThe Denver Post New York Daily News -TheStreet.com -90.3 KAZU all 3,876 news articles »

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UK Set to Choose Sharp Break From European Union - New York Times

BRUSSELS European Union legislators lashed out at U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday for saying the British decision to leave the bloc would turn out great and predicting more countries would follow.

It is insane, Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the largest liberal group in the European Parliament, said, decrying what he saw as meddling in European politics and insisting on a much stronger EU reaction

What would happen in the United States when European leaders would say Oh, we think California will break away, Verhofstadt asked rhetorically, adding the EUs ambassador would immediately be summoned to Washington for chiding.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the biggest parliamentary group, the EPP Christian Democrats, said no one should underestimate the EU as an economic juggernaut on the world stage.

I want to stress that the EU is as large as the U.S. in economic terms, Weber said.

Trump indicated in a weekend interview with two European newspapers that he was indifferent to whether the EU stays together or not. His position is a sharp break from Obama, who encouraged British citizens to vote to remain.

I do think keeping it together is not gonna be as easy as a lot of people think, Trump said.

The British exit from the EU would end up being a great thing, he said.

Combined with the stinging criticism Trump offered of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European NATO allies, Trumps interview did not go down well in EU capitals.

We must tell all those who are threatening Europeans, especially European businesses, that we, too, can ask tough questions to U.S. companies, said Weber, a German whose party is closely aligned with Merkel.

If the U.S. is saying U.S. first, then we are allowed to say Europe first, Weber said.

Both Weber and Verhofstadt, who leads the European Parliaments ALDE liberal group, said Trump presidencys should spur the EU into action and force it to display more unity.

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European Union legislators snap back at Trump - Press Herald

BRUSSELS European leadersgrappled with the jolting reality of President-elect Donald Trumps skepticism of the European Union on Monday, saying they might have to stand without the United States at their side during the Trump presidency.

The possibility of an unprecedented breach in transatlantic relations came after Trump who embraced anti-E.U. insurgents during his campaign and following his victory said in weekend remarks that the 28-nation European Union was bound for a breakup and that he was indifferent to its fate. He also said NATOs current configuration is obsolete, even as he professed commitment to Europes defense.

Trumps attitudes have raised alarm bells across Europe, which is facinga wave of elections this year in which anti-immigrant, Euroskeptic leaders could gain power. Most mainstream leadershave committed to working with Trump after his inauguration Friday, even as they have expressed hope that he will moderate his views once he takes office. His continued hard line has created a painful realization in Europe that they may now haveto live without the full backing of their oldest, strongest partner. The European Union underpins much of the continents post-World War II prosperity, but skeptics have attacked it in recent years as a dysfunctional bloc that undermines finances and security.

We will cooperate with him on all levels, of course, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin. But she said Europeans will need to take responsibility for themselves.

We Europeans have our destiny in our own hands, she said.

The full ramifications of apotentialbreakdown in transatlantic ties are so extensive, they are difficult to total. U.S. guarantees form the backbone of European security. The United States and the 500-million-people-strong European Union are each others most important trade partners. For decades, European nations and the United States have worked tightly together on issues of war, peace and wealth.

Trumpappears skeptical that the European Union matters to American security or economic growth.

People want their own identity, so if you ask me, others, I believe others will leave, Trump said of the European Unionina weekend interview with the Times of London and Germanys Bild newspaper. He said he did not care about the E.U.s future. I dont think it matters much for the United States, he said.

You look at the European Union, and its Germany. Basically a vehicle for Germany, Trump said, meaning Germany had used the free-trade bloc to sell its goods to the disadvantage of others. He added that Merkel had made a very catastrophic mistake in opening Europes doors to migrants and refugees.

And he offered no special credit to European nations for being long-standing U.S. allies, saying he will trust Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin alike at the outset of his presidency.

I start off trusting both, he said. But lets see how long that lasts. It may not last long at all.

Trump offered mixed messages about the NATO defense alliance, which is dominated by the United States, calling it obsolete and saying it is very unfair to the United States that most nations are not meeting their voluntary defense spending commitments. With that being said, NATO is very important to me, Trump said.

(Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

The Kremlin embraced Trumps comments, with a spokesman agreeing that NATO is obsolete. British leaders also welcomed Trumps willingness to negotiate a trade deal in the wake of their nations departure from the E.U.

But among most U.S. allies, Trumps attitudes caused astonishment and excitement, not just in Brussels, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters Monday in Brussels, where he was meeting with other European foreign ministers at a previously scheduled gathering. Coming directly from a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Steinmeier said NATO had listened to Trumps comments with concern.

The incoming U.S. president is the first American leader since World War II not to support European integration. The European Unionhas long been considered to be in the U.S. interest, since it created a unified market for U.S. businesses, provided a bulwark against communism during the Cold War and helped quell the bloody slaughter that cost U.S. lives, among others, in the first half of the 20th century. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the European Union expanded eastward into formerly communist nations, a development that leaders there say helped bring rule of law and stability as they modernized their economies.

Steinmeier said Germany is trying to assess what U.S. foreign policy will actually be.For example, James Mattis, the retired Marine general nominated to be Trumps defense secretary, offered straightforward support for NATO and skepticism of Russia at his confirmation hearing last week.

Other leaders said Europes future does not rise or fall based on attitudes in the White House.

What we are looking for is a partnership based on common interests with the United States, E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters. We always like to be in good company, but we determine our policies by ourselves.

Some analysts noted that after Britains vote last June to leave the European Union, support for the E.U. in other nations increased. They wondered whether Trumps frontal challenge to the bloc might have a similar effect. But one said that if global instability rises as a result of Trumps unpredictable policies, the stress could weigh on the already taxed European Union.

Over the last decades, the United States has played a huge stabilizing role. And when this stabilizing role of the U.S. around the world falls away, because theyre doing transactional deals, that will create lots and lots of messes which will implicate European interests, said Stefan Lehne, a former Austrian diplomat who now works at Carnegie Europe, a Brussels-based think tank.

One prominent U.S. advocate of European unity was concerned about Europes ability to weather the Trump tsunami.

As the European Union battles skeptical forces, U.S. cheerleading and support has been welcomed, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the E.U. Anthony Gardnersaid last week. If there isnt someone like a [Secretary of State John F.] Kerry or an Obama ... reminding people of the importance of the European Union, then theres a vacuum.

French leaders, who face tough presidential elections in April, also appeared to be scrambling to handle the fallout. Trump allies have expressed support for the anti-E.U., anti-immigrant National Front party, whose leader, Marine Le Pen, is doing well in opinion polls. Le Pen lunched in the basement of Trump Tower last week in the company of a man who has served as an informal conduit for Trumps contacts with Euroskeptic European leaders, although the Trump transition team denied any formal meeting with the French politician.

The best response is European unity, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. As with the case of Brexit, the best way to defend Europe is to remain united. This is a bit of an invitation that we are making to Mr. Trump. To remain a bloc. Not to forget that the force of Europeans is in their unity.

But the most wishful approach to Trumps declarations may have come from Luxembourg, where the nations top diplomat said he hoped Trump was still in campaign mode.

One must hope that the statements of candidate Trump starting Friday will go in a different direction, said Luxembourgs foreign minister, Jean Asselborn. If the risks are summed up, it would be very destabilizing, which is not in the interest of America.

Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin contributed to this report.

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European leaders shocked as Trump slams NATO and EU, raising fears of transatlantic split - Washington Post