Donald Trump’s continued bashing of Germany (eg, “the Germans are bad, very bad”, banning German luxury cars from New York City, German contribution to NATO, import tariffs on German steel, German-US trade surplus) looks, feels, and sounds like a personal vendetta.
We all know the (Donald) Duck test: “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”.
In 1885, the German Frederick Trump (born as Friedrich Drumpf) emigrated to America at the age of 16. In 1902, he returned to Germany and tried to regain his German citizenship. He had lost this for missing his mandatory German military service while being in the USA. He begged to stay in Germany but was informed that he would not get his citizenship back. He had 8 weeks to leave Germany – or be expelled (eg, CNN, DW, Guardian, my 2017 blog, Snopes).
A 2015 Politico article (“The Man Who Made Trump Who He Is”) by Gwenda Blair (author of the 2001 book “The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire“) explains why Donald Trump admires his grandfather Frederick. Quote: “[] what has defined the current candidate for president more than anything else is a family culture of doing whatever it takes to come out on top and never giving up.” Note: underlinings in quote by LO.
“As has become evident in his brief time on the political scene, the 45th president is a sensitive soul whose feelings are easily bruised when others say unkind or disrespectful things about him. Well, maybe not his feelings, but certainly his ego. And when that happens, Trump puts great stock in the healing power of an old-fashioned apology.” (Atlantic-2017)
It’s (very) likely that Trump’s continued bashing of Germany relates to his grandfather Frederick‘s banishing from Germany. His recent proposal for “heavy tariffs (as much as 25%) on car imports” relates to his wish to ban “Mercedes models [from] Fifth Avenue in New York” (Fortune).
I think, feel and believe that the 45th President of America is taking personal revenge and national retaliation on Germany for what Donald Trump deems to be an unfair treatment of his grandfather Frederick Trump (eg, my 2017 blog).
On 30 May 2018, the FT reported that “Germany struggles to fend off assaults from Trump”. FT: “Heiko Maas told his US counterpart Mike Pompeo that the idea of Audis, Mercedes and BMWs endangering US national security was preposterous. “On the contrary,” Mr Maas quipped, “German cars make America’s streets safer.”
Mr Pompeo was not amused.” (my June 2 blog)
The only way Germany may fend off Trump’s assaults is by apologising to the 45th President of America for Frederick Trump‘s treatment by the Bavarian prince regent Luitpold in 1902 (DW). Perhaps, Donald Trump should even be offered German citizenship which might be convenient when Trump would be expelled from America following his impeachment.
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word (1976) by Elton John
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
What have I got to do to make you love me?
What have I got to do to make you care?
[Chorus]
It’s sad, so sad
It’s a sad, sad situation
And it’s getting more and more absurd
It’s sad, so sad
Why can’t we talk it over?
Oh, it seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise
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