German Foreign Policy Spokesman Defends Critical Comments on Trump
Michael Roth, a German foreign policy spokesperson, has defended the critical remarks made by the Foreign Office regarding Donald Trump’s US presidential campaign. “Trump has always had a peculiar view of Germany, and I don’t recommend crawling to him at any cost” Roth said in an interview with RTL and ntv’s “Frühstart” program on Monday.
Roth emphasized that the European Union must send a clear signal and be prepared to negotiate with Trump, even if the deals are unfavorable, as Trump would likely expect that.
The recent leak of a report allegedly written by the German ambassador in Washington and addressed to the Foreign Office has raised concerns for Roth. He believes the document should not have been made public. “This loose talk is quite annoying” Roth said. While he expects diplomats to use a clear and direct language in internal communications, he also thinks that they should not sugarcoat the truth. “We need to be realistic, not idealistic” Roth said, adding that instead of being outraged, the focus should be on investing in the country’s own security and defense.