As of: February 26, 2024, 2:30 p.m
By: Simon Schröder
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According to Trump confidant Richard Grenell, Angela Merkel is also to blame for the Ukraine war.
(Collage from archive images) © Collage: IMAGO / Christian Spicker //IMAGO / MediaPunch
Provocative interview by Richard Grenell.
The former US diplomat is campaigning for the re-election of Donald Trump - and blames Merkel for the war in Ukraine.
Berlin – Richard Grenell, former US ambassador to Berlin,
caused a small provocation with an interview in the
FAZ .
He campaigned for Donald Trump's re-election and denounced the EU's handling of the Ukraine war.
According to the controversial diplomat, Angela Merkel of all people is to blame for the conflict.
Grenell takes up Trump rhetoric: “Putin would never have attacked”
With Trump as president, Vladimir Putin would never have attacked, said Grenell.
He explained: “Joe Biden and Angela Merkel have shown weakness.
Putin started wars in Europe under Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Not under Donald Trump.” The former diplomat took up Trump’s rhetoric directly.
The ex-president himself also announced in May last year at the “Town Hall” debate on the US broadcaster
CNN
that Putin would never have dared to attack during his time as president.
Grenell’s clear statement: “Nothing moves Germans more than the fear of Trump.”
Following on from this, Grenell now stated that Trump as president would strengthen NATO - and thus contradicted the general view that NATO's future would look uncertain under Trump.
“President Trump is determined to strengthen NATO if it wants to be strong.
And that starts with everyone doing their fair share.” He rates Trump’s controversial NATO statements as “fantastic.”
“Nothing moves Germans more than the fear of Donald Trump and his retaliation,” said the diplomat.
It is clear to him that the Germans have increased their defense spending because of Trump.
Given that Grenell himself has ambitions under a potential Trump government, his interview is less surprising.
Already at the “Conservative Political Action Conference”, or CPAC for short, the US ambassador tried to position himself as a potential foreign minister under Trump, as the
Tagesspiegel
reported.
Trump’s “America First” vision would fit perfectly with Grenell’s past diplomacy.
During Trump's term in office, the diplomat was able to work his way up to the position of intelligence director.
Here the 57-year-old shone as a loyal supporter of Trump and, unlike his predecessors, did not contradict the president.
Grenell sees Germany as the economically strongest country in terms of its obligation to pay for NATO
Controversial statements and startling speculations are nothing new for him.
Grenell is a professional, especially when it comes to criticizing Germany.
On Sunday, February 11, Grenell wrote on “X” (formerly Twitter): “Germany, as the largest economy in Europe and a country that runs budget surpluses almost every year, only increased its NATO commitments after Trump put pressure on them .” So his latest interview is not out of line with his usual statements.
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Likewise, sweeping blows are the norm for the ambitious Republican.
President Biden's NATO ambassador expressed her confidence in the future of NATO on "X" and was optimistic about the increasing military spending of other NATO countries.
Grenell immediately countered: “There are 11/30 who are expected to pay 2 percent this year.
This is a failure.
Stop acting like it’s a success.”
Grenell is promoting Trump and working on his re-election
Grenell was alluding to NATO's two percent target.
Here, NATO member states have committed to spending at least two percent of gross domestic product on defense spending.
This year, according to NATO reports, 18 of the member states are expected to reach the goal.
Not as Grenell claims, only 11. As the
Tagesschau
confirms, Germany's military spending will also come to just over two percent this year.
At the end of the
FAZ
interview, Grenell criticized the current Foreign Minister under Biden, Antony Blinken.
He would engage in “culinary diplomacy.”
“The diplomats I know want to solve problems, not be evacuated from crisis areas,” said Grenell.
His message remains clear: “I’m working on Donald Trump’s re-election.”