US-Germany Ties Are Fragile, Crumbling on Split Priorities

Ambassador Grenell fosters resentment in Germany

US relationships with several nations have faced challenges with the major priority changes of President Trump. Germany is no exception, and what was long one of the closest relationships in the West is now fragile, and steadily worsening.

There are a number of reasons why. Germany’s economic power has made it a target for Trump’s trade wars. The Trump hostility to the European Union has also put it at odds with Germany and its neighbors. And a big reason is that Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel really don’t communicate that much.

US Ambassador Richard Grenell hasn’t helped matters, spurning traditional events the German government puts on for US envoys, and feeling himself entitled to constantly issue policy demands and threaten repercussions if Germany doesn’t comply.

Grenell has made himself a lot of enemies as a result, and many see it as just typical of the way the Trump Administration generally behaves around its traditional allies. This once again adds to the communication problem, as ideally his job would be to keep the lines open between the two countries, and he’s broadly not doing that.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.