Germany blitzkrieg vs. Trump

Germany’s foreign minister blasted President Trump for “shortsighted” policies he said have “weakened” Western nations and damaged the European Union, according to a report on Monday.

“The shortsighted policies of the American government stand against the interests of the European Union,” Sigmar Gabriel told Agence France-Presse.

“The West has become smaller — at least it has become weaker,” he said.

“Anyone who accelerates climate change by weakening environmental protection, who sells more weapons in conflict zones and who does not want to politically resolve religious conflicts is putting peace in Europe at risk,” he said, referring to Trump’s deal to sell $110 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia.

Gabriel’s comments come a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel railed against Trump for his comments last week about NATO members and his refusal to say he would remain in the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

“The times in which we could completely depend on others are on the way out,” Merkel said on Sunday. “I’ve experienced that in the last few days. [Europeans] must really take our destiny into our own hands.”

On Monday, she continued her assault on Trump during a speech in Berlin, where she warned against simple answers “in view of the complexity of global contexts.”

“Anyone who puts on national blinkers and has no view of the world around him will ultimately get lost,” Merkel said.