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Utah Rep. John Curtis recommends a different approach for President Trump in Europe

Posted at 6:17 PM, Jul 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-11 20:17:31-04

WASHINGTON -- Representative John Curtis wanted to get his thoughts in print prior to President Donald Trump's trip to Europe, so he published an editorial in the Deseret News.

"I think it's fair to say that here in my office the team recognized what was coming and the importance of speaking out on it from my perspective and from the district's perspective," Curtis told Fox 13.

In the editorial, Curtis said what he "hoped" to see on each leg of the trip that began with a NATO gathering in Brussels on Wednesday and will end with a Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday.

On NATO:

This alliance of 28 countries from around the world is a pillar of American interests since its inception many decades ago.

On his stopover in the U.K. after the NATO meeting:

As the U.K. grapples with its own future in the European Union, I hope that President Trump’s visit will help to solidify the long friendship between our two great countries.

On the Summit with Putin:

As a strong proponent of diplomacy, I believe a meeting between President Trump and President Putin could be a productive one. But I would also encourage the president to exercise caution with Russia — which has proven to be a hostile nation to the United States and our Western allies.

In his conversation with Fox 13, Curtis admitted the president started his NATO meetings off on a less friendly note than he recommend