McConnell breaks with Trump on NATO

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) broke with President-elect Donald Trump’s position on NATO Wednesday, calling Russia “a big problem” in an interview with McClatchy.

McConnell’s comments come just days after Trump continued his criticism of the alliance, calling it “obsolete” in an interview with a German newspaper.

But McConnell said the alliance “is the most important military alliance in world history and is more important than it ever was.”

{mosads}Trump criticized NATO during his presidential campaign, saying the United States would help its allies “if they fulfill their obligations to us.”

Vice President-elect Mike Pence on Wednesday said the mission of NATO “will go forward” with the new administration.