Germany is upping its war of words against President Trump.
The German foreign minister on Monday accused Trump of making the West “weaker,” one day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested Europe can no longer rely on the United States under Trump.
Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel accused Trump and his administration of working “against the interests of the European Union” with its policies.
“Anyone who accelerates climate change by weakening environmental protection, who sells more weapons in conflict zones and who does not want to politically resolve religious conflicts is putting peace in Europe at risk,” Gabriel said.
“The short-sighted policies of the American government stand against the interests of the European Union. The West has become smaller, at least it has become weaker.”
He warned that European nations had to take a stand against Trump’s attempted ban on refugees — or else those countries, too, will start faltering.
“If the Europeans are not resolutely opposing to this right now, the migration flow to Europe will continue to grow,” Gabriel said.
“Those who do not oppose this U.S. policy are guilty.”
Gabriel’s rage came the day after Merkel hinted Trump’s brusque behavior on his foreign trip last week showed her the United States she knew is over.
“The times in which we could rely fully on others, they are somewhat over,” she said at a Munich rally for her fourth term.
“This is what I experienced in the last few days. We Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands.”
Germany and other EU nations were left fuming with Trump after he criticized their alliance payments at a NATO summit in Brussels, and then refused to support the Paris climate accord at the G7 meeting in Sicily the next day.
G7 leaders noted that the United States is the only major country to not commit to the 195-nation deal to tackle climate change.
Merkel assured Monday she’s still willing to work with the United States — if Trump can take her criticism.
She believes relations with America “are a strong pillar of our foreign and security policy, and Germany will continue working to strengthen these relations,” her spokesman Steffen Seibert said Monday.
“Precisely because they are so important, it’s right to name differences honestly.”
With News Wire Services
