29 May, 2017
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted to her country that the U.S. and United Kingdom will no longer be countries Germany can rely on. "I experienced that in the last a few days, and therefore I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands".
"We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands", she said, reportedly to great applause from her 2000 listeners, referring to both the "new USA government of Donald Trump" and "imminent Brexit of Great Britain".
A comment by Merkel on a campaign stop in a Bavarian beer tent on Sunday sent the liberal Twittersphere into a frenzy (Edward Snowden called it "an era-defining moment.") Merkel, mentioning both the US and Brexit, told her audience it was time for Europe to "take our fate into our own hands". (Face the Nation mentioned that "some not-so-happy allies were left questioning the president's commitment to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and a global pact on climate change" but did not mention Merkel's comments.) NY Times correspondent Binyamin Appelbaum demonstrated how comments like Merkel's could and should shape media coverage of Trump's recent visit - something the Sunday shows failed to deliver to their viewers.
The poll also showed that if German chancellor were directly elected, 52 percent would opt for Merkel and 29 percent would choose Schulz.
"The entire discussion about climate was very hard, if not to say very dissatisfying", Merkel told reporters at the time.
However, Trump was alone on the issue of climate change, and has signaled he may pull out of the Paris Agreement.
At an election rally, Merkel told supporters that Germany and Europe must create their own destiny.
Trump and Merkel's extremely awkward press conference.
With four months to go before elections, Angela Merkel's position also looks stronger than ever domestically.
Trump however, struck a more positive tone in his latest comments on Twitter, saying his trip had been a "great success for America". British Prime Minister Theresa May has also tried to maintain ties - though that's in part because she needs partners as she leads her country out of the European Union.
Merkel and Macron have vowed to work together to further the pro-globalisation agenda that Trump stands against.
Dr Merkel's comments were not the only sign Sunday of a Europe determined to hit back. Even so, "we have to fight for our own future ourselves".