« To assume a deep intellectual plan at Trump is daring »

Why do the Americans have for everything in the world Trump re -elected? And what could be the lever to finally get the US president? On Monday evening, former CSU politician Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg asked this and other questions of our editor-in-chief Peter Müller and the deputy department head of politics, Margit Hufnagel. Around 300 interested parties were there in the sold -out « Little Golden Hall » in downtown Augsburg and welcomed the former Defense Minister with benevolent applause.

Guttenberg was a political vertical starter: from 2009 only Federal Minister of Economics, then Federal Defense Minister, before stumbling over a plagiarism affair in 2011. Since the 53-year-old had lived and worked for a long time in the United States, he knows the American sensitivities too well. He looks at the three-month term of US President Donald Trump from his own perspective. An overwhelming news situation, on which Guttenberg is somewhat different: « I am always surprised at how many of him are surprised. » So are the biggest shock elements of the past few months – MAl throws Trump the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj from the White Housesometimes he wants to buy Greenland, sometimes he increases the tariffs for all trading partners worldwide. And partly in his first term. Is the story repeated?

Guttenberg sees many intellectual heads with their own plans behind Trump

Not necessarily. Trump 2.0 is a consideration, tougher and more broken than in 2017. So he first went to the golf after he announced the « largest customs policy shock for the world economy of the past 100 years », as economists describe the day. Has the US president learned in the rather negative sense? « It is daring at Trump to suspect a deep intellectual plan. But: There are many intellectual heads behind Trump, » said Guttenberg. Liberal heads, influential tzmilliardaries, men with their own plans such as billionaire and investor Peter Thiel. « And that is the greater danger behind the whole, because in this sense Trump is something like the useful idiot. »

Perhaps a useful idiot, but with a lot of charisma, says Guttenberg: « We notice this to ourselves how difficult it is to avoid this character. » The American president also has a certain entertainment value at the same time. « At some point he will step on his tie when he gets up, » jokes the 53-year-old. Guttenberg itself performs easily with jacket and beige pants. He would still recommend a well -fitting suit Friedrich Merz if he will meet Trump soon. Because: « With frack only the penguins come. » What Merz Need, be a certain smoothness, coupled with a strong self -confidence. « And Germany can have this self -confidence as the fourth largest economy. »

The focus was also on war in Ukraine. The 24 hours that Trump had announced in which he wants to solve the conflict is simply an illusion. « The conflict will take a while. » He observes all the more concerned how Russian President Vladimir Putin behaves. Guttenberg does not consider the warnings of the secret services that Putin could also attack other countries. “The probability is not excluded. And that obliges us as a European to ensure our security. «  Here one has reached a crucial point, since the EU can no longer rely on the United States will take over European security policy.

Wolodymyr Selenskyj’s threshold from the White House was a wake -up call

The ultimate wake -up call is the outline of Wolodymyr Selenskyj from the white house. A staged show, as Guttenberg is sure. But not only that: « It was the last WATSCHEN that Europe got to finally understand that we have to do our homework ourselves. » He defended his decision to suspend compulsory military service in 2011: « At that time it was the right decision to suspend it. But exposing it also means that it can be used again. » Because the concept of manifold, as much as it had to get used to it, includes the current situationd. « But nobody has to be afraid to just be confiscated for two years. » He can still understand the displeasure of many young people.

Is there something that gives him hope despite all this concerns? « I think it needed this brutal moment to make Europe act. » And this momentum that something has to be done gives him optimism. Because for Europe it is not enough to outrage. « We have to act. »