The lack of chemistry between Ms. Merkel, a quantum physicist, and Mr. Trump, a celebrity millionaire, is not new. What is new is that Mr. Trump appears to have abandoned any pretense of being on the same side.
“Merkel represents everything Trump loathes: Globalism, multilateralism, international law,” Mr. Kleine-Brockhoff said. “Trump aligns more with the well-known authoritarian leaders in the world.”
Mr. Trump, Germans worry, is in the process of redefining American national interest and a strong trans-Atlantic alliance is not part of it.
“He thinks he’s exerting power and leverage and the might of the United States,” Mr. Kleine-Brockhoff said. “But within the next three months, he will deprive the United States of 25 percent of its deterrence capability in Europe.”
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