Six days ago, in Marsberg, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the U.S. approach to Iran, saying Washington was being “humiliated by the Iranian leadership” and demanding the conflict end “as quickly as possible.”
Three days ago, President Trump responded with an announcement that U.S. troops in Germany would be drawn down, and there would be a 25% tariff on all imported European autos. {GO DEEP}
Suddenly, Friedrich Merz reverses his position:
Imagine that.
But seriously folks, when people argue that it’s not about the economics of the thing – remind them, it’s always about the economics of the thing.
Germany is facing a perfect storm of economic consequences following their decision to chase the climate change agenda (Build Back Better) and eliminate their coal and nuclear power plants. Combine the German/EU policy to stop purchasing cheap LNG and oil from Russia, in addition to skyrocketing energy costs from oil/gas flows from the Middle East, and the outcome is rising manufacturing costs leading to massive layoffs.
The German industrial economy is the heart of the EU economy, and President Trump is now hitting them both right where it hurts.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is already facing serious political issues within Germany as the economy continues to contract. The political opposition parties are on the rise and Merz is in a very precarious position. President Trump is exploiting this vulnerability by apply further economic pressure on Germany.
Just yesterday….
Via Bloomberg – “Germany’s automotive industry pleaded for an urgent de-escalation in the tariff dispute between the US and the European Union and called for immediate talks between the two sides after President Donald Trump said he would increase auto tariffs on the bloc next week.” (read more)
Let him cook.
President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw at least 5,000 US troops from Germany has raised concerns among residents living near Ramstein Air Base. pic.twitter.com/hllQNYiuYg
— DW News (@dwnews) May 3, 2026
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Good.
Let the President draw down the number of military in Germany even further.
Just keep the airbase and hospital open.
Any combat troops can be either repositioned in another friendlier nation, or based in the US or elsewhere.
From what I understand, it would be very very difficult for DJT to officially get us out of NATO.
Perhaps Our President can do what the French President de Gaulle did 60 years ago, and withdraw the US from the integrated military command of NATO.
We would still be technically part of NATO, but definitely pursuing an America First policy.
If THAT doesn’t wake up ‘Europe’…
Nothing will – and we should then organize our worldwide military strategy to take that fact into account.
The USA cannot be the world’s policeman.
We can only try to protect or defend our actual critical interests.
This nation needs to prepare and adjust for when ‘Europe’ is more Eurabia than Europe.
Within 30 years, does anyone really think that the ‘Europe’ of 2055 will bear any resemblance to the Europe of 2025???
I have heard likewise that we have legal hurdles to getting out of NATO. Rather than “withdraw the US from the integrated military command of NATO”, I would prefer that we remove our money from NATO, and simply sit on the sidelines watching like a hawk guarding our interests, not theirs.
With all of the current innovations in modern tactics and weapons…I’m not sure that we don’t need to review the value of putting forward the number of assets and troops on foreign soil now. The cost of maintaining them is tremendous. The current use of tanks and infantry have a leaning to the old cold war mode of warfare. We have a hard time not manning and equipping based on the last war. However, the politics of making any changes to our defense structure is fought at every level both by foreign governments as well as Congress. As Sundance says “there are millions at stake.” Just for instance, do we really need to put pilots in aircraft now? Do we need to put millions in revamping the ancient A-10 Warthog?
Never had people shooting at you
until the Warthogs show up! Make more Warthogs!!!
Having spent some time at Ramstein , I know that half of Germans like the US and half hate the US. Goodbye Krauts!