NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is praising President Donald Trump for motivating fellow transatlantic alliance members to step up defense spending and getting Russia to the negotiating table for ta

Trump has repeatedly expressed his contention that European countries have been taking advantage of the U.S. by not spending more on defense.

The Senate passed a stopgap funding bill that averts a government shutdown and provides $6 billion in new spending for defense and another $6 billion for veterans’ health care through Sept. 30.

WASHINGTON (TNND) — The Senate has passed a six-month spending bill Friday evening, hours before a potential government shutdown. This comes after fierce Democratic opposition to the bill. The final vote was 54-46. Democrats were frustrated that Republicans went ahead with the funding bill with little input from them.

Friday to pass a Republican-sponsored stopgap funding bill that averted a federal government shutdown. The vote was the second of two key votes that passed the bill: The advance vote: The Senate voted 62-38 to end debate on the bill – a cloture vote – and advance it to a final vote.