Germany's Merkel is a 'convinced trans-Atlanticist' just speaking 'honestly' about U.S.-German ties, spokesman says


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a shiver through German-U.S. relations when she told a packed beer tent of her fellow Christian Democrats in Munich that from her experience at the G7 and NATO summits, "I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands — of course in friendship with the United States of America, in friendship with Great Britain, and as good neighbors wherever that is possible also with other countries, even with Russia." On Monday, her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Merkel was just being honest about differences with the Trump administration.
"The chancellor's words stand on their own — they were clear and comprehensible," Seibert said. Merkel is "a deeply convinced trans-Atlanticist," he told reporters in Berlin, and "those of you who have reported on the chancellor for a long time will know how important German-American relations are to her." Merkel will "continue to work to strengthen" this "firm pillar of our foreign and security policy," he said, but "because trans-Atlantic relations are so important to this chancellor, it is right from her viewpoint to speak out honestly about differences." President Trump and Merkel disagree on climate change and NATO commitments, among other things.
Merkel, who grew up in Soviet-controlled East Germany, has been a longtime supporter of the U.S. and backer of strong ties with the U.S., so her comments that Germany's ability to rely on the U.S. and Britain is "over to a certain extent" were seen as a blow to the post-World War II order. David Frum explained on Sunday that splitting apart Germany and the U.S. has been a key, long-term goal of the Soviet Union and then Russia under President Vladimir Putin, and argued that Trump just achieved what Russia has been unable to. "Putin could not have achieved out of this trip more exactly what he wanted if he'd been paying for it," he said. Watch below, or read his longer argument at The Atlantic. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.
-
Biden's first rodeo
cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Biden's stumble
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
The daily gossip: Travis Kelce chats about Taylor Swift's Chiefs game visit, Hollywood writers thrilled with details of new contract as strike ends, and more
The daily gossip: September 27, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published