Merkel, minister stress U.S. ties after critical Trump tweet

[webfact]

Merkel, minister stress U.S. ties after critical Trump tweet

By Thomas Escritt and Matthias Sobolewski

REUTERS

 

U.S. President Donald Trump is seen at the Naval Air Station Sigonella following the G7 Summit, in Sigonella, Sicily, Italy, May 27, 2017. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump called Germany's trade and spending policies "very bad" on Tuesday, intensifying a row between the longtime allies and immediately earning himself the moniker "destroyer of Western values" from a leading German politician.

 

As the war of words threatened to spin out of control, Merkel and other senior German politicians stressed the importance of Germany's Atlantic ties, with Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel suggesting the spat was just a rough patch.

 

Trump took to Twitter early in the day in the United States to attack Germany, a day after Chancellor Angela Merkel ramped up her doubts about the reliability of Washington as an ally.

 

"We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change," Trump tweeted.

 

The tit-for-tat dispute escalated rapidly after Trump, at back-to-back summits last week, criticised major NATO allies over their military spending and refused to endorse a global climate change accord.

 

On Sunday, Merkel showed the gravity of her concern about Washington's dependability under Trump when she warned, at an election campaign event in a packed Bavarian beer tent - that the times when Europe could fully rely on others were "over to a certain extent".

 

Those comments, which caused shock in Washington, vented Europe's frustration with Trump on climate policy in particular. And while German politicians sided with Merkel, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel signalled that it was time for cooler heads to prevail.

 

TIT-FOR-TAT, FROM TENT TO TWITTER

 

"The United States are older and bigger than the current conflict," he said, adding that relations would improve. "It is inappropriate that we are now communicating with each other between a beer tent and Twitter," he said in Berlin.

 

Merkel had already begun finessing her message on Monday, stressing that she was a "convinced trans-Atlanticist", a message she repeated after a meeting with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Berlin.

 

But Martin Schulz, leader of Gabriel's centre-left Social Democrats, was less emollient earlier in the day when he told reporters Trump was "the destroyer of all Western values". He added that the U.S. president was undermining the peaceful cooperation of nations based on mutual respect and tolerance.

 

In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said he agreed with Merkel that Europe needed to forge its own path.

 

"This takes nothing away from the importance of our trans-Atlantic ties and our alliance with the United States. But the importance we put on these ties cannot mean that we abandon fundamental principles such as our commitment to fight climate change and in favour of open societies and free trade," he said.

 

(Additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Rome; writing by Paul Carrel; editing by Michael Nienaber/Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-31

[darksidedog]

Trump ranting twaddle again. There is a trade surplus with Germany because they produce good products that are in demand. If America hadn't shipped huge chunks of its manufacturing overseas, it might not be the case. Then he whinges about defense, even though as has been much discussed here, Germany has until 2024 to spend more on defense. What he is doing isn't so much bad for the US, but bad for the World.

Once again, Putin will be smiling at breakfast as he watches the US Europe relationship, sink further into the waters.

[Andaman Al]

10 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Once again, Putin will be smiling at breakfast

darksidedog, forgive me, but that could qualify as one of the greatest understatements on Thai Visa - 

[ilostmypassword]

Trump Takes Aim at German Trade, but Overlooks Benefits

The president’s campaign against the trade deficit with Germany ignores the 700,000 jobs its carmakers have brought to America and overstates Berlin’s ability to do much about the imbalance.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/30/world/europe/trump-merkel-germany-macron.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[ilostmypassword]

Germany’s Real Sin

As many people have pointed out, Trump picked the worst possible example when he decided to describe Germany as “bad, very bad”. Yes, they sell a lot of cars in America; but (a) many of those cars are produced here and (b) Germany has a reputation for producing good cars. 

So this was the stupidest possible critique, and plays right into German self-righteousness.

https://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2017/05/27/germanys-real-sin/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog Main&contentCollection=Opinion&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body

[kamahele]

Did anyone tell the president that German auto makers and their suppliers employ over 100,000 Americans and that BMW actually exports cars made in the US?!

[sirineou]

41 minutes ago, kamahele said:

Did anyone tell the president that German auto makers and their suppliers employ over 100,000 Americans and that BMW actually exports cars made in the US?!

regardless of the above fact it also does not change the fact that in 2016 the United States bought German goods worth $114 billion and sold goods worth $49 billion; subtract the latter from the former and you come up with  a $65 billion trade deficit.. 

Now that does not necessarily  mean that Germany is "Bad" but it could also mean that the US is not Good,,, at least in making products that Germans would want to buy.

Germany would be "bad" if it was engaging in unfair trade practices that  resulted in this trade deficit,and if so, IMO it would be more productive to address the unfairness and refrain from name calling. 

But I am afraid the root of the problem is not Germany's unfair trade practices, but American priorities. 

[Fulwell53]

1 hour ago, kamahele said:

Did anyone tell the president that German auto makers and their suppliers employ over 100,000 Americans and that BMW actually exports cars made in the US?!

If they did he would tweet that it was fake news as he does every time he is faced with uncomfortable truths and his red neck supporters lap it up

[Thakkar]

I think the biggest reason for the deficit is American white supremacists, including those in the WH, buying cheap, lousy, expired and discarded German fascist ideas from the '30s

 

German Exporter: "what do we do with these old, useless, stupid doctrines?"

Bannon: "Hey! These look great! We'll take 'em all. Here's the cash."

 

QED, deficits.

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, kamahele said:

Did anyone tell the president that German auto makers and their suppliers employ over 100,000 Americans and that BMW actually exports cars made in the US?!

Spot on.

America's Trade Deficit Is Largely Paid For By European Investment In American Manufacturing

https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2016/06/22/americas-trade-deficit-is-largely-paid-for-by-european-investment-in-american-manufacturing/#5329eb4144f9

Compare US trade deficit with EU at $11.2 billion with China at $309.8 billion. What is Trump doing about China trade? The U.S. Commerce Department recently announced a trade deal with Beijing that might actually increase America’s trade deficit with China. https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonchang/2017/05/14/trumps-new-china-deal-may-increase-u-s-trade-deficit/#7ea8b19b62ff

The US would do better from a national security perspective to have a deficit with allies than with political adversaries.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

All NATO countries made a commitment to spend 4% of their GDP on defence. Only 5 European countries does that which include Spain and Greece. The one missing on the list is Germany which can afford to spend it  compared to Greece and Spain. As for the trade deficit it is marginal call. I think his angle is to try and leverage more FDI's to increase US jobs and in return continue to support NATO.

[dunroaming]

I am sure this will get it's own thread shortly but Trump has now said that he will withdraw the US from the Paris Climate deal.  I predicted this last week and so did many on TV.  His pathetic excuse of "I need more time to think about this" was profound and sure enough once back amongst his own gang of idiots he now makes the announcement.  What a snivelling coward he is.

 

So Mr's Merkel I hope you will now condemn Trump for the moron that he really is!

[Dumbastheycome]

I am increasingly  suspicious  that  Trump is  actually   fulfilling  his  true  role.

That  being  to  create  a  do  or  die  international  crisis  culminating  in   war.

That  the US  Administration is  so  arrogant as  to  assume  superiority  in all and   any  event makes  it  an extreme  danger  globally.

Alienation is  rapidly   leading  to  Alien Nation ! 

[Baerboxer]

But Martin Schulz, leader of Gabriel's centre-left Social Democrats, was less emollient earlier in the day when he told reporters Trump was "the destroyer of all Western values".

 

But Trumps comments are only about Germany, and Germany's trade and spend policies.

 

How does that equate to "destroyer of all Western values" and what makes this clown think Germany dictates what Western values are?

 

Merkel likes to refer to "European values" as if they must be in line with what Germany thinks they should be and accepted by all as cast in stone.

 

Germany isn't ruling Europe - yet.

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

All NATO countries made a commitment to spend 4% of their GDP on defence. Only 5 European countries does that which include Spain and Greece. The one missing on the list is Germany which can afford to spend it  compared to Greece and Spain. As for the trade deficit it is marginal call. I think his angle is to try and leverage more FDI's to increase US jobs and in return continue to support NATO.

Untrue. They made a commitment to spend 2% by 2024. No Nato nation except the USA even comes close to spending 4%

But when you take into account that the US defense budget devotes about 10% of its expenditures to veterans' health care, an expenditure which is not included in EU defense budget, it seems like that  more EU nations already would be meeting their 2% target if their spending on veterans' health care was included.

[dunroaming]

22 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Germany isn't ruling Europe - yet.

Maybe not but they certainly have the biggest influence and consequently the biggest say

[tomacht8]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

But Martin Schulz, leader of Gabriel's centre-left Social Democrats, was less emollient earlier in the day when he told reporters Trump was "the destroyer of all Western values".

 

But Trumps comments are only about Germany, and Germany's trade and spend policies.

 

How does that equate to "destroyer of all Western values" and what makes this clown think Germany dictates what Western values are?

 

Merkel likes to refer to "European values" as if they must be in line with what Germany thinks they should be and accepted by all as cast in stone.

 

Germany isn't ruling Europe - yet.

 

since more than 70 years there was no war on European soil (beside the disintegration of Yugoslavia.) This is the longest peace periode europe ever had. Also due to NATO.

So if a US president is not clear in his entry visit to the nato contract paragraf 5, then he destroys common western values. 

Simple as it is.

It is not about germany but about europe.

 

[puck2]

As far  as i can remember, Trump refers to the defense budget. The main problem: in reality it seems to be for a war budget.

The war against Saddam/Iraq has devoured and is still devouring a lot of "defense" money. The unsuccessful war against the terrorism war in Afghanistan has cost a lot of budget money and is still costing, although it was obvious that you cannot win a war in Afghanistan - remember the Soviets. The most idiotic and ridiculous payment - I guess out of the "defense" budget - was for the Taliban when they battled the Soviets.

 

Therefore it's time to reduce the war-budget  and put the saved money into poverty countries like Afghanistan and others. The result will not be apparent within a short time, but a good investment for the future. That is what the US has successfully and thankfully done after the world war II in Europe.

 

Because the POTUS Trump is ridden by dementia - he forgets already today what he promised/babbled yesterday - he and the USA (having elected him) deserve the ranting by 100%. You cannot trust the Trump (=US)Government any more. Reliability - in spite of some disagreements - is a fundamental virtue between friends/states.