German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius does not see a deterioration in the German-American relationship following the harsh criticisms of US Vice President JD Vance.
In an interview with RTL and ntv at the Munich Security Conference, Pistorius said, “Sometimes it seems and this is also the approach on the part of our American friends, that the diction, the word choice and the tone are adjusted for reasons unknown. Why, after all?”
Pistorius emphasized Germany and Europe’s self-awareness, stating, “We are only self-assured enough as Europeans and as Germans to say, ‘Okay, that’s it, we don’t need to be told that.’ And at the same time, that doesn’t change the strong transatlantic bonds.”
The defense minister also suggested that friends should be able to express differing opinions, citing US Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of European states at the Munich Security Conference. Vance had criticized European countries, including a perceived limitation of free speech. Pistorius rejected these claims.