Staff Reports
In a week that harkens back to a bizarre but somewhat endearing period of diplomatic gesture, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with President Trump in the Oval Office, gifting him with a framed copy of his grandfather’s birth certificate. It’s hard to say if the gesture was meant to warm the heart or simply pad the walls of the Oval Office. Nevertheless, it served as a reminder of Friedrich Trump’s own emigration journey from Germany to the United States—an ancestry that Trump’s political opponents might prefer remain quietly in the background.
Now, onto the heavyweight political matters that could use a bit of that ancestral potency—Germany’s recent endorsement of the U.S.’s proposal for a NATO defense spending target. Dubbed the “Trump Bump,” this initiative persuades NATO allies to ramp up their defense spending to a robust 5% of their GDP. It’s almost as if the name itself nudges countries into splurging a little extra on military might. There is hope that even more leaders will join the choir of defense spenders at the upcoming summit, and perhaps even belt out a few notes in celebration of heavier pockets dedicated to military affairs.
One might wonder what drove this push for increased spending. Certainly, a key factor is Russia’s aggressive and bafflingly persistent invasion of Ukraine. It’s the largest conflict Europe has seen since World War II, with casualties to match. For too long, Europe’s purse strings have been drawn tight when it comes to defense. But as the situation heats up, the rhetoric along with it, the consensus has seemingly been reached that it’s high time for Europe to step up its game and equal the hefty price tag of security.
The real challenge is convincing everyone that Putin’s antics on NATO’s doorstep are more than rare bursts of nostalgia for empire. His griping about NATO’s proximity conveniently cloaks ambitions that can only be described as living in the past—specifically, somewhere around the era of Peter the Great. It’s a tired melody by now. NATO’s European allies, compelled to protect their playground from Putin’s curious taste for century-old real estate negotiations, appear ready to respond with their checkbooks.
In typical Trump style, the President had a sports-themed analogy ready to explain his approach to this geopolitical wrestling match. Let them fight until they tire, much like referees supposedly do in hockey. It’s a tactic perhaps meant to allow both sides to blow off steam before a third-party intervention becomes necessary. Trump, with all his self-assured bravado, claimed it would be easy to coax peace between Russia and Ukraine. While geopolitical critics might roll their eyes at his perceived oversimplification, there’s still a sliver of hope that his persistence and the strategic, hard-hitting sanctions in the works might indeed soften Moscow’s resolve. After all, every playground confrontation eventually ends, and it’s usually with the bully recognizing that perhaps life sans empire might just be worthwhile.
