Twitter users ridiculed US President Donald Trump's recent remark asserting that the European Union was formed "to take advantage of the United States", as he also claimed that "Europe never treated us well".
"The European Union was formed in order to take advantage of the United States. Formed to take advantage of the United States. I know that. They know I know that but other presidents had no idea", Trump said at the Rose Garden of the White House during his speech.
It did not take long for netizens to lambast the remark, filling the threads with history lessons reminding the president of the impact of the World War II, the Marshall plan and pivotal treaties that marked the formation of the European Union, including the Treaty of Rome signed in 1957 that envisaged the creation of European Economic Community (EEC) and establishment of the customs union.
There go all of our alliances built since 1945!!
— REFUGEES WELCOME MN (@serbgirl004) July 14, 2020
He thinks it was signed in the Russian territory known as Finland.
— GardenofEatin (@BruceZingsteen) July 14, 2020
Wait did Trump just say that the EU was formed to take advantage of the US? Dude have you heard of ww2?
— Sanie - ONTAE MONTH (@SanieKw) July 14, 2020
That damn Anti-American Marshall Plan, lol.😉 pic.twitter.com/ikE2NXwUNJ
— Anti-racist, Anti-misogynist, Anti-Fascist (@MonpotLeDevin) July 14, 2020
The EU was formed to protect Europe. Who’d have thunk it?
— Susan hopeful 🇬🇧🏴⭐️ 🇪🇺🌼🔶🕊🐝🏘 (@SusanPickin) July 14, 2020
Some users recalled examples of vital cooperation between the European Union and the United States and sneered at Trump’s "Europe, which has never treated us well" comment.
So countries came together just to take advantage of USA yet they came to help us after 9/11
— Dez. Mask On. Stay Safe (@PhenomenalBC) July 14, 2020
“Europe, which has never treated us well.”
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 14, 2020
I’m gonna need to fact check on that one
Others rolled suggestions on formations created to "take advantage of the US", criticizing Trump's coronavirus response, by comparing it to that of European countries.
Trump was "formed" by the Republicans to take advantage of the United States.
— Marcia L. Sinclair (@Marcia_Sinclair) July 14, 2020
Mmhmm.. I would much rather be in the EU right now! pic.twitter.com/YyRPLU2bSm
— GaGalaxy (@GaGaVeRSe) July 14, 2020
