January 14, 2026
It’s not you, it’s Greenland
EU-US relationship is 'disintegrating,' says Germany's vice chancellor
Germany’s veep says EU–US ‘disintegrating’ as Trump talk sparks meltdown
TLDR: Germany’s vice chancellor says the EU–US bond is breaking amid Trump’s Greenland talk and Venezuela action, while Germany’s chancellor stays cautious. Comments explode: fears of a NATO crack-up, blame on voter “vibes,” and media‑culture whiplash. It matters because transatlantic stability underpins Europe’s security.
Germany’s Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil just dropped the D‑word — “disintegrating” — about the EU–US relationship, and the comments section lit up like Greenland in a spotlight. After Trump’s fiery talk about needing control over Greenland link and the U.S. move to seize Venezuela’s leader, posters split hard: one camp screams “you threaten to grab sovereign territory, you get breakup energy,” while the other shrugs, calling it a bold foreign‑policy reset. Right‑leaning media vs. European panic became the main cage match, with one user quipping that European outlets are “terrified,” even whispering about a possible end of NATO — meanwhile U.S. conservatives treat it like just another Tuesday. Klingbeil’s blast contrasts with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cooler “work it out in NATO” vibe, and users dragged that too: is Merz the calm therapist, or the partner pretending everything’s fine? With only 15% of Germans now trusting the U.S., per a top survey link, the mood is pure doom-scroll. There were jokes — “Relationship status: it’s not you, it’s Greenland,” and grammar snark (“Incandescent or incessant?”) — but the darker thread dominated: voters “went on vibes,” apathy reigns, and people say the daily drama is taking a real health toll. TL;DR: it’s a diplomatic soap opera with receipts.
Key Points
- •Germany’s Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said the transatlantic relationship is disintegrating, citing U.S. actions on Greenland and Venezuela.
- •Klingbeil criticized President Donald Trump’s assertion that the U.S. needs control over Greenland and the U.S. military seizure of Nicolás Maduro.
- •Chancellor Friedrich Merz adopted a more cautious stance, calling U.S. security concerns on Greenland legitimate for NATO to address and describing the Maduro case as legally complex.
- •The article highlights political calculations within Germany’s coalition, noting Klingbeil’s SPD has stagnant polling and may benefit domestically from a tougher line on Trump.
- •A recent ARD Deutschlandtrend poll shows only 15% of Germans view the U.S. as a trustworthy partner, underscoring political risks for Merz’s engagement approach.