“A little bit worried”
Gabriel does not see Trump as the end of history
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
In Germany there are mixed feelings about Trump's second presidency. While the federal government congratulates with due restraint, former Foreign Minister Gabriel gives the Europeans a little encouragement.
After Donald Trump's inauguration, former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel advised Europeans to now focus more on themselves. “Donald Trump's speech at the inauguration was a big step for him and a small one for humanity,” said the chairman of the Atlantic Bridge in an interview with RTL and ntv. The fact that Trump wants to declare a state of emergency in the south of the USA in order to deploy the army should be a bit worrying. “Nevertheless, I would be in favor of us concentrating on ourselves. Because the stronger we are in Europe, the less we have to worry about this America,” said the SPD politician. “And by the way: It’s never the end of the story,” said Gabriel.
The federal government reacted to Trump's inauguration with the usual neutrality. “The USA is our closest ally and a good transatlantic relationship is always the goal of our policy,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his congratulations immediately after Trump took office. Germany and the USA could “provide decisive impetus for freedom, peace and security as well as for prosperity and economic development on both sides of the Atlantic.” SPD politician Scholz also emphasized the importance of the European Union: “As an EU with 27 members and more than 400 million people, we are a strong community.”
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote in English on X that Germany would work with the new US government “on the basis of our common values and with a view to our European interests.” In times of “complex global challenges,” “close transatlantic cooperation remains the cornerstone for peace, security and stability,” wrote the Green politician. No representatives of the red-green federal government were present at Trump's inauguration in Washington. Germany was represented by Ambassador Andreas Michaelis.
Merz congratulates in handwriting
Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz sent a handwritten letter of congratulations to Trump. If he wins the election, he wants to work on “a new chapter” in the relationship between the two countries, he wrote. The US people have given Trump and his party a “strong mandate” to lead the country.
FDP leader Christian Lindner said that the relationship between Germany and the USA needed “a new start”. The Trump camp was very aware that parts of the federal government and the parties supporting it had positioned themselves “against Donald Trump” in the US election campaign, he said in a video published on X. “We have to invest a lot to repair the relationships.” Germany must ensure that “Europe speaks with one voice again,” demanded the former Federal Finance Minister. “Then we can also negotiate a new attempt at a transatlantic free trade agreement, possibly with intermediate steps instead of tariffs.”
AfD leader Alice Weidel warmly congratulated Trump on his successful inauguration. On Weidel, whose party has attracted attention with anti-American tones in the past, recently had a live conversation with Trump friend and tech billionaire Elon Musk. The AfD candidate for chancellor did not go to Washington for Trump's inauguration herself, but instead let her party co-leader Tino Chrupalla go first.
