Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Trump says he sees Germany as an enemy because of World War II

Trump says he sees Germany as an enemy because of World War II

Former State Department official calls president's 'personality driven' foreign policy 'devastating' during pandemic outbreak
Donald Trump is suggesting the United States should treat Germany more like an enemy because the two countries were adversaries in World War II as the president again lobbied for closer US-Russian relations.

If he turns the off-the-cuff remark into US policy, Mr Trump would try fundamentally overhauling the post-World War II global power dynamic that saw Western countries bring Germany into their sphere while combating Moscow and fighting the spread of communism in the post-war era. But with little opposition to the American-German alliance in Congress, especially the GOP-run Senate, such a plan would face ample pushback – including from within his own party.

Mr Trump, during another wildly cascading "Fox & Friends" call-in, launched into a remarkable diatribe about Germany and Russia – and how the United States should treat each country – after being asked about what he and Russian President Vladimir Putin would discuss during a planned telephone conversation Monday morning.


The American leader repeated his long-espoused view that it would be a "good thing" if Washington and Moscow had a warmer relationship, noting he has been saying so since he was first a presidential candidate. Despite his five-year-old contention, the Cold War adversaries remain rivals on the global stage.

"They also fought World War II. They lost 50 million people," Mr Trump said of Russia, then the Soviet Union.

"Germany was the enemy. ... And Germany's [now], like, this wonderful thing," he added, suggesting the now-democratic European power is not-so wonderful in his eyes.

In true Trumpian form, he attempted to give himself some distance from the suggestion, saying of his Germanic ancestry: "Look, it's fine," Mr Trump said of US-German relations. "It's in my heritage."

The US president has grown frustrated at times with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was close with former President Barack Obama and has not always followed Mr Trump's demands or advice.

Notably, Ms Merkel in 2018 called on NATO to have a tougher stance against Russia. At home, her Christian Democratic Union political party typically proposes the toughest policy prescriptions for how to deal with Mr. Putin's government.

Mattia Nelles, of the nonpartisan Atlantic Council, has written about a "typical German desire to be on good terms with Russia."

After all, Germany imports $22bn in energy products from Russia, according to ComTrade and TradingEconomics.com. It also buys billions more in copper, aluminum, steel and other crucial materials from Russia, making the relationship one of economic necessity for Berlin.

Despite Mr Trump's veiled call for countries to treat Germany as more foe than friend, Ms Nells' has written that the widespread German view of warm relations with Mr Putin's government "generally is in line with the EU's Russia policy and involves criticising Russia for its illegal activities and pushing back through sanctions, while at the same time trying to engage through trade and civil society or cultural cooperation."

Heather Conley, a former senior State Department official now with the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies, recently called Mr Trump's coronavirus foreign policy approach "personality-driven" and "blame-driven" and "devastating," saying it "has great real-world implications for America's leadership in the world and our allies and partners.

"What happens if you don't like Angela Merkel of Germany? And so this personality dynamic is the new normal, unfortunately," she said on a recent call with reporters. "And it completely neuters the institutions and all the relationships that make the types and the mechanics of crises like these work."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×