Meeting the night before the G20 summit in Hamburg, 62-year-old German Chancellor Angela Merkel hopes to thaw what’s become cool relations with the U.S. No longer regarded in Merkel’s talking points as “friends,” she now calls the U.S. “strategic overseas partners.” Selling more German cars and miscellaneous equipment in the U.S., Merkel walks a fine line catering to her base from the Chistian Democratic Union. Merkel looks like a shoe-in for reelection as German Chancellor Sept. 24 when the Bundestadt picks in new Prime Minister. Partnered with Bavaria’s 6-foot-4-inch Horst Seehoffer of the Christian Social Union, Merkel has all the votes needed for another six-years as German Chancellor. Merkel signaled when she meets Trump she won’t be in any mood to reverse her controversial positions on Syrian refugees, something Trump exploited during the 2016 election.
Merkel was especially insulted—as were other European Union leaders—when Trump decided June 1 to withdraw from the April 22, 2016 Paris Climate Agreement. Meeting campaign promises to U.S. coalminers, Trump couldn’t do both: Expand U.S. coal production and, at the same time, participate in the Paris Accord. With over 151 nations participating in the agreement, Trump did the unthinkable: Pull the U.S. out. Pulling out was so inconsistent with EU values, horrifying nations firmly committed to reducing manmade greenhouse gases or CO2 emissions. EU leaders took Trump’s withdrawal the wrong way, not admitting that the U.S. is already far ahead of most energy-consuming countries in reducing the carbon footprint. Unlike the Brexit talks supported by Trump during the 2016 campaign, pulling out of the Paris accord was far more egregious in the EU.
Whether or not the issue is about immigrants from the Mideast or North Africa, Merkel leads the EU in absorbing large immigrant populations. When Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS] sympathizers hit Berlin Dec. 19, 2016, killing 12, injuring 58, Trump was relentless criticizing Merkel for ruining Germany. What’s most ironic about Merkel’s positions on Mideast immigrants is that she readily accepts immigrants, and pressures other EU countries to do the same, when she wholeheartedly backed the seven-year-old proxy war to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It’s estimated that U.S. and EU support for the Saudi-funded proxy war to topple al-Assad resulted in over 300,000 deaths, 12 million more displaced to neighboring countries and Europe. Merkel’s Syria policy created the worst humanitarian crisis since WW II, leading to the June 23, 2016 Brexit vote, pulling the U.K. out of the EU.
Merkel couldn’t get over Trump’s support of Nigel Farage’s Brexit campaign, largely due to immigration problems in Europe and the U.K. Backing the Brexit vote was bound to make enemies in the EU. Withdrawing from the EU, Britain cost the EU $2.7 trillion in the U.K’s nominal GDP, putting the EU substantially behind the U.S. GDP at $18.56 trillion, running about $3 trillion above the EU. “The differences are obvious and it would be dishonest to try to cover that up. That I won’t do,” said Merkel in advance of Trump’s visit. Contrasting herself with Trump actually helps Merkel in her bid for another term as chancellor. Merkel insisted she’s “more determined that ever,” to find more consensus on the Paris agreement. Merkel knows that most countries participating in the Paris accord won’t begin to meet obligations to reduce carbon emissions under the treaty.
Trump walks fine line heading into the G20 summit, knowing his positions on immigration, climate change and NATO remain unpopular with EU politicians. Merlel’s managed to highlight differences with Trump to get reelected. “We know the positions of the U.S. government and I do not expect them to disappear on a two-day trip to Hamburg,” said Merkel, exploiting the differences to further her political ambitions. While agreeing with Trump on fighting terror, Merkel has more differences with the U.S. than similarities. Merkel doesn’t like to have Trump point out the whopping 65-billion trade deficit with Germany. She also doesn’t like hearing Trump talk of Germany paying a bigger share of GDP to NATO to provide for Germany’s defense against the Russian Federation. With Russia supplying over 30% of the EU’s petroleum and natural gas, Merkel doesn’t like the U.S. criticizing Russia.
Trump walks a dangerous tightrope heading into Hamburg, realizing, more than ever, the value of transatlantic partnerships. Pulling out of Paris shook the EU to its core, similar to what happened June 23, 2016 when Britain decided to withdraw from the EU. Spending $13 billion annually for EU dues, Britain got fed up with Merkel’s pressure to take more Syrian refugees. When Trump meets Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday, they’ll no doubt talk about the problem of taking too many Mideast and North African refugees. Trump agrees with Duda, Czech President Milos Zemen and Hungary Prime Minster Viktor Orban, all of whom oppose Merkel’s pressure to take more Mideast and North African refugees. Finding common ground with Merkel won’t be easy for Trump, watching Germany enjoy a massive trade surplus at the expense of U.S. consumers.
