The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Germany "by far the worst offender"? Trump unexpectedly hits Merkel's government violently 

2020-06-18T11:39:27.328Z


President Trump has been accusing Berlin of being protected in NATO at the expense of the United States for years - now he is handing out against the federal government.


President Trump has been accusing Berlin of being protected in NATO at the expense of the United States for years - now he is handing out against the federal government.

  • US President Trump's plans to massively withdraw US soldiers from Germany are causing a stir.
  • Now  Trump * has made it clear what is his motivation behind it.
  • When German politicians justification meets with strong criticism.

Update from June 16, 2020, 9:15 p.m .:

Secretary of Defense

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer

 has criticized and appeased the announcement of

US President Donald Trump

reacted, almost 10,000 soldiers of the 34,500 currently

Withdraw soldiers from Germany

to want. "These soldiers are in Germany and Europe as a security guarantee for everyone in NATO, for the entire alliance," said the CDU chief at an event of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Berlin on Tuesday. But they are also for the security of the United States itself in Germany and they are very welcome.

Kramp-Karrenbauer admitted that there is currently a "somewhat excited time" with "one or the other shrill tone" in German-American relations. She emphasized: “NATO is not a trade organization and security is not a commodity. NATO is based on solidarity and trust. "

The Defense Ministers of the NATO countries want to give a video conference this Wednesday (2:00 p.m.) on how to deal with the deployment of nuclear missile-capable Russian cruise missiles in Europe. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg , the talks should also be unscheduled for the US announcements that troops will be partially withdrawn from Germany. The issue was relevant to the entire alliance, the Norwegian said on Tuesday.

Trump is hard on Merkel's government: "By far the worst offender is ..."

First report: Washington / Berlin - Is it a punitive act by US President Donald Trump *? He confirmed plans on Monday that the number of US soldiers in Germany should be reduced from around 35,000 to 25,000. He justified this by saying that the federal government continues to spend too little on defense and that NATO owes "billions of dollars" .

With a view to NATO , Trump said that Germany was one of the few member states that, despite its vehement demands, had not agreed to meet NATO's self- imposed defense expenditure target

"Germany has been in default for years and owes NATO billions of dollars, and they have to pay that." The USA would have to pay for the difference again and again. Germany pulls the US over the table in trade and in NATO. "By far the worst offender is Germany."

Specifically, according to Trump, it is about low NATO payments, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in cooperation with Russia and punitive tariffs: As a "punishment", he wants to withdraw US troops from Germany.

More on the topic: https://t.co/3WqHRcJShy pic.twitter.com/fKlj1309rE

- hr-iNFO (@hrinfo) June 16, 2020

US troops in Germany cause "huge costs" according to Trump

Trump said the deployment of US troops in Germany is causing "tremendous costs to the United States." He criticized: “Why is Germany paying Russia billions of dollars for energy and then we should protect Germany from Russia? How is that supposed to work? It doesn't work. " 

Trump alluded to the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline, which is to bring gas from Russia to Germany. The USA want to prevent their completion and imposed sanctions at the end of last year .

Trump also indirectly referred to the economic damage that a partial withdrawal of soldiers from Germany would have for the affected locations. "These are well-paid soldiers. They live in Germany. They spend a lot of their money in Germany. "The President added:" Until they (the Germans) pay, we will withdraw our soldiers, some of our soldiers. "

+

US President Donald Trump and Chancellor Angela Merkel at the past NATO summit

© AFP / PETER NICHOLLS

US troop withdrawal: Trump questions the two percent target

Trump also accused Germany of disadvantaging the United States in trade. The EU's ideas for a trade agreement have so far not been to his satisfaction, and Germany is the most important economic force in the EU. Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs on auto imports that would hit German manufacturers hardest in the trade conflict with the European Union .

The two-percent target NATO provides to all Allies until 2024 the objective approach, at least two percent of their GDP to spend on defense. Germany has increased spending significantly in recent years, but was still only at 1.38 percent of GDP in 2019. Trump said on Monday that two percent is actually still too little.

Trump withdraws US troops from Germany - Dietmar Bartsch: "No-Go"

SPD leader Walter-Borjans questioned the two percent target in the "ntv early start" as such: "What is the number that if the economy grows, you have to upgrade !? Or now when it melts and shrinks that you should disarm? ”

The parliamentary leader of the left in the Bundestag, Dietmar Bartsch , said of Trump's allegations: "The fact that a US president is blackmailing the federal government is a no-go among partners!" NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wants the US plans this Wednesday and Thursday at talks with defense ministers from the Allies. 

US troop withdrawal "punishment" for Germany? Trump spokeswoman answers

The relationship between the Trump administration and Berlin has been tense for a long time. Most recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) thwarted Trump's plans to hold a G7 summit at the White House this month - she had canceled because of the corona pandemic * . Trump therefore felt compelled to postpone the summit until September.

The White House spokeswoman , Kayleigh McEnany, had been asked last week whether Trump would cause troops to withdraw because of Merkel's cancellation . McEnany then did not confirm a partial deduction. But she said Trump did not make decisions to punish certain leaders. "It is in the best interest of the United States."

dpa / AFP / frs

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Rubric list image: © AFP / PETER NICHOLLS

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-06-18

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.