But in Berlin, where Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government has been rattled by anti-immigrant discontent before upcoming elections, Sigmar Gabriel, the vice chancellor, said there were “highly nationalist tones” in Mr. Trump’s speech, which he said reflected a “drastic radicalization” of United States politics. ”You have to take the man seriously,” Mr. Gabriel said.
He said that if Mr. Trump made good on his pledges to rip up trade deals and disregard longstanding alliances, Germany stood ready to fill the void.
“Should the United States start a trade war with China and all of Asia then we as Europeans and Germans are fair partners,” Mr. Gabriel said. “Europe and Germany need a strategy geared toward Asia and China — and we have new opportunities.”
President François Hollande of France, battling nationalist currents in his own country, did not wait for Mr. Trump to give his address before suggesting that France’s course would divert from Washington’s new direction.
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