this post was submitted on 07 Mar 2025
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The response to Donald Trump's policy initiatives, the fate of Ukraine, and the issue of massive investment and record debt are on German voters' minds two weeks after the federal election.

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[–] [email protected] 87 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Nor should they.

At this point, the US should get the Russia and North Korea treatment, complete segregation from the civilized world.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Nah, Europe should grow closer and stronger, but we should keep normal relations with the US for now in case Trump steps down in four years. Hurting our own economy to prove a point would be stupid

If Trump or Musk do something against Germany it would be a baller move to retaliate by seizing the Tesla battery factory in Berlin tho. Just slap a VW logo on

[–] [email protected] 55 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

No matter who will gain power in the US after Trump, that country's political system as it is cannot be trusted anymore. It brought that destructive madman to power not only once, but twice. There are zero safeguards against this happening again and again and again.

Also it's not very likely for Trump nor his vile party to allow another regime change. They attempted a coup already when Trump lost the election last time. Even though Trump himself is as dumb as a bucket of shit, in the Republican Party, there are people who are smart enough to have learned lessons from the failed coup. The kind of lessons they used to draw up "Project 2025". Even if Trump drops dead before his nominal term is over, his equally vile vice president will take over, and I doubt he has any greater desire than Trump himself to ever relinquish power. A not insignificant part of the US population supports the ideology of those vile people. And a phenomenon very well known in Germany from its infamous fascist past, a large, silent majority just tagging along for fear of retribution, is already manifesting itself in the US. As a last farewell, we therefore should export the nice German word "Mitläufer" to the USA. Free of charge. They are going to need it later.

If Trump or Musk do something against Germany

They already have. Musk's propaganda platform formerly known as Twitter (and other US "social media" platforms) is supporting enemies of the German state (the AfD), and Both Musk and Trump's second in command have been openly endorsing them before the election. Including a likely illegal campaign contribution by Musk.

Seizing Musk's Tesla factory is a good idea, but I wouldn't give it to VW, they might learn even more lessons on how to reduce their products' quality while simultaneously inflating their prices.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

that country’s political system as it is cannot be trusted anymore. It brought that destructive madman to power not only once, but twice. There are zero safeguards against this happening again and again and again.

Worse, there'll be insufficient interest to change the system to put those safeguards in place even if Democrats regain power, to say nothing of the Constitutional Amendments likely necessary to effectively do so and the lack of State legislatures supporting such even if Congress manages 51% of a vote for things other than Constitutional Amendments. That might be enough for an impeachment, but just barely 51% isn't very reassuring for the rest of the world.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

It is not proving a point, it is a simple matter of risk management. There will eventually be "normal" relationships, like the ones we have with Angola or the Dominican republic. The one we had been having was not "normal" it was based on an excess of trust, and there is not any more left.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

But that would interrupt our coffee supply and--
...
Actually, never mind. Do it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

"Rogue state"

[–] [email protected] 60 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The US government has been conquered by Russia without a single shot fired.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Yeah, that will go in history books: how to conquer a nuclear superpower without causing a nuclear war. People were joking so much about Putin in the last few years, but it turns out his 5D chess game played out perfectly. People in Europe should stop underestimating Putin, otherwise we will fail the same way the US did.

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Would you Germans like a geologist from the US? I would love to immigrate.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Or a buyer for medical devices? I even work for a German company. Maybe I can transfer.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

🤔 Is this site trustworthy? I would recommend an official one: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

It's the website of the German foreign office, so if you're looking for official information, it's as trustworthy as it gets.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Sure, come anytime. There are many foreigners in the south of Germany in particular, and in northern big cities as well. You'll blend right in.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Germany currently actively encourages skilled workers to come to the country, so definitely yes. You might want to stick either to western German states or at least big cities though. The eastern countryside got a problem with xenophobia.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Most Americans feel the same way about their own country

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 month ago (3 children)

One good thing that might come out of all of this, is that USA people might stop being so annoying about how great and perfect their country supposedly is whenever you talk to them. Every time i hear someone chanting "USA, USA" i fell like whacking them with a bat.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I always tell people it’s overrated and shit for years and Hollywood is selling lies.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)
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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

Otoh, things have rather dramatically turned around on at least two fronts:

[...] Donald Trump, who has criticized Germany repeatedly for its [...] participation in the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

[...] only 1.9 percent worried about Russia[n influence] [...]

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I’ll bet it’s due to the FUCKING NAZIS that took over the government

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I miss G.W., I thought he would be the worst person ever in power.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Remember the innocent days when we thought W was incredibly dumb?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (2 children)

He was dumb. And a war criminal. The current mess doesn't change that.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Yes, but he can't be called "incredibly dumb" anymore, because Trump made an entirely different level of stupidity not only credible, but bitter reality.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

No but it does diffuse it a bit.

It's like holding the land speed record in 1911.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

G.W. started normalizing a lot of the shit that we see today, like brazen disregard for the truth.

If you miss G.W. Bush then you learned nothing.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Merkel, in the other hand, kneecapped Germany and Europe at her refusal to see the Russian threat and to acknowledge US' inherent instability (as anything in the US can change at a whim of a sitting president)

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

The actual news is that DW parrots the German governments opinion. Which isn't really news either. I dare say that the population in Germany has been "somewhat ambivalent" about the benevolence of US foreign politics for quite a while.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Germany was very positive and trusting of Obama and the US during that time and we started regaining some trust under Biden, but it definitely never has been the same after Trump first took office

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

The drone murders didn't find much sympathy here but thanks to most of our media's, uh... "transatlantic engagement" the topic didn't get too much publicity.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Rammstein released “Amerika” in 2004. That was during the 1st Bush Jr administration but the complaints in the song aren’t limited to Republicans.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (3 children)

And yet some people seem to think it's an endorsement...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I love the song, but I always thought the "This in not a love song!" part was not necessary. We get it! Don't need to spell it out like that.

Then I saw (on shitamericanssay) someone write a wall of text explaining how despite that part it is still a love song to the USA. So yeah. Apparently the part is not only necessary but also not explicit enough.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

We should have started this process right after 9/11 honestly. If not sooner.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Understandable. I cannot think of less trustworthy people than each of the people put into power for this administration.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

There's a good chance trump is going to try to help Putin by invading Ukraine from the west. I can't see a better reason to move 35000 troops from Germany to Hungary.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

To be honest, I'm surprised they still did after 2016.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (7 children)

Just remember, a lot of people here do not agree with this administration…. On another note, If my mom held dual citizenship for Germany because she was born on a us base there, do I automatically get the opportunity to move to Germany? I know I could look it up, but I’m looking for first hand experiences.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

I don't believe so. If someone is born on base I believe they're just American citizens and don't get dual citizenship option.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Children born in Germany to non-citizens can get German citizenship under certain conditions only since January 2000. I'd assume your mother is older than 25, which means she wouldn't have the right to German citizenship just because she was born in Germany and therefore neither would you. Do you know for a fact that your mother has dual citizenship?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Everybody who trusts the United States, say "Aye!"

...

Anybody here? ^...body^ ^here?^

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