Trump aims to break EU apart

Editor’s Note: Paul Hockenos is the author of “Berlin Calling: A Story of Anarchy, Music, the Wall and the Birth of the New Berlin.” The opinions in this article belong solely to the author. In fact, looking back at the highly undiplomatic barbs of the US’s top diplomat in Germany, the freshly-minted Trump appointee Richard Grenell, Trump’s actions in Quebec were even predictable. Grenell unleashed an outcry in Europe by lavishly complimenting Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz as a “rock star” among Europe’s politicians, and then meeting with the controversial Christian Democratic politico in Germany. Grenell broke with decades of diplomatic tradition — it’s considered poor form for ambassadors to directly comment on the internal politics of their host countries — by saying that he intended to “empower other conservatives throughout Europe.” He added: “I think there is a groundswell of conservative policies that are taking hold because of the failed policies of the left.” In terms of “conservatives,” the new ambassador was obviously referring not to mainstream conservatives of Merkel’s stripe, as they are in decline throughout Europe. This misguided quest for “another kind of EU,” however, isn’t what Putin or Trump’s ideologues want.