U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell hasn’t shied away from controversy during his tenure in Berlin. But once again, Grenell is on the mark.
The latest flare-up between Grenell and his German hosts comes as a result of the Trump administration’s continued demand that our European allies pay their fair share in defense spending. Right now, under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, nearly 30 European and North American countries have banded together in an alliance to ensure mutual defense. But as things stand, some member countries such as Germany are gaming the system and free-riding off the U.S.
Ambassador @RichardGrenell doesn’t waste his time with PR stunts and he doesn’t have to. President Trump has repeatedly praised our Ambassador in Berlin. Spot on Ric. ?? https://t.co/UENdOvXfyp
— Kimberly Guilfoyle (@kimguilfoyle) August 10, 2019
Germany, like other NATO member countries, is supposed to spend 2% of its GDP on defense. They’re not even close. According to 112 International, “Germany intends to increase its defense spending to 1.37% in 2020, but by 2023 this figure would drop to 1.24%.” The Germans’ consistent dereliction of duty means the U.S. is stuck subsidizing their national defense with our own overzealous military spending.
Thankfully, Grenell has had enough.
The ambassador told the German press: “It is actually offensive to assume that the U.S. taxpayer must continue to pay to have 50,000-plus Americans in Germany, but the Germans get to spend their surplus on domestic programs.” He’s exactly right.
Why should wealthy allies like Germany get away with skipping out on their responsibilities, and still enjoy our 34,000 troops acting as in-house military protection? Other, substantially more at-risk NATO countries such as Lithuania and Poland have taken steps to meet their 2% obligation.
Surely they deserve our protection more.
.@USAmbPoland: “Poland meets its 2% of GDP spending obligation towards NATO. Germany does not. We would welcome American troops in Germany to come to Poland.” https://t.co/kUfedr176p
— US Embassy Warsaw (@USEmbassyWarsaw) August 8, 2019
We could also consider the radical option of bringing our troops home from one of the nearly 150 countries around the world where we have them deployed. As things stand right now, the U.S. military is so over-extended that the Department of Defense can’t even keep straight which countries our troops are dying in.
CORRECTION: The location is Iraq.
— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) August 12, 2019
As the libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, noted: “Why is the United States always stuck paying for everyone when prosperous nations don’t pay their fair share? [Ric Grenell] is absolutely right. We need to reevaluate commitments all over the world and decide what is best for America first!”
Paul is exactly right, and thankfully, it appears President Trump is listening. A foreign policy that truly puts America First leaves no room for the subsidization of wealthy allies who aren’t willing to pay their fair share. We’re lucky to have Ambassador Grenell putting his foot down, and letting the world know that foreign free-riding won’t be tolerated.
