Memoir of former German chancellor recalls US president’s soft spot for tyrants and apparent fascination with Putin

Summary

In her memoir Freedom, Angela Merkel reflects on her misjudgment of Donald Trump, initially treating him as “completely normal” before realizing his emotional nature and authoritarian inclinations.

She recounts his attempts to humiliate her, his zero-sum worldview, and fascination with autocratic leaders like Vladimir Putin.

Merkel also critiques Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and his hostility toward Germany.

Addressing her legacy, she discusses tensions with Putin over NATO and acknowledges criticism of her reliance on Russian gas and liberal refugee policies.

  • raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.worldEnglish
    603·
    20 hours ago

    As a German, I despise everything about her party, and I never voted for her - also, I oppose her economical policies (which are just the ones of her party).

    But I can absolutely respect her for

    • opening the borders to take in Syrian refugees when no one else would have them - against(!) the racist shitheads that form most of her party
    • being a rational, calming voice in the center of Europe, and trying to mediate between the US and Russia, instead of making us depend on one of them

    Imagine the fat orange turd’s first presidency had already transitioned into a totalitarian regime, and the US had started a war of aggression against Mexico to curb the drug cartels - but committing massive war crimes there. That’d be a really shitty time to be 100% dependent on US & Saudi oil & gas, as many conservative voices in Germany wanted us to be.