Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel claimed that President-elect Trump does not believe in “any win-win situations” and that this makes international cooperation difficult.
Merkel served as chancellor from 2005 to 2021, and has seen U.S. presidents take office and leave office. new NPR interviewshe is the author of her new book Freedom. All things considered,” she said in a White House meeting during Trump’s first term in 2017.
She wrote that she flew home from the conference feeling anxious.
“As president, Donald Trump has been a very strong proponent of his ideas. That's natural. It's what every president of the United States does, as every prime minister does. “, Chancellor Merkel said. “But Donald Trump, more than most, believes in the ability and quality of compromise.”
“He wants to be the sole winner in any kind of conflict and does not believe in win-win situations where both parties benefit from the solution,” she continued. “That makes cooperation more difficult and different from other heads of government.”
As President Trump prepares to take back the White House, the international community is bracing for possible changes.
The president-elect has said it is possible to “end” the Russia-Ukraine war in one day and has softened relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
There are also concerns that Trump may withdraw the United States from NATO. He has doubts about the future of the alliance and wants member states to increase defense spending. President Trump said in February that he would encourage Russia to do “whatever they want” to members of the organization that did not pay.
As several European countries prepare for a shift under President Trump's second term, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he will work with the new administration.
Merkel said she hoped Trump would understand the true purpose of the alliance, noting there are “good reasons” for the United States to want to keep NATO strong.
Chancellor Merkel pointed out that the United States has “good reasons” to want NATO to become stronger.
“President-elect Trump, as he did in his first term, will understand that NATO not only serves the purpose of protecting Europe with the support of the United States and Canada, but that our partnership with Europe is important. “I hope it will be in the interest of the United States as well,” Merkel said.
He added that “together” the 32 member states are much stronger than their adversaries.
