German president says US is destroying world order [View all]

Source: Reuters

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has strongly criticised U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump and urged the world not to let the world order disintegrate into a "den of robbers" where the unscrupulous take what they want.

In unusually strong remarks, which appeared to refer to actions such as the ousting of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, the former foreign minister said global democracy was being attacked as never before.

Although the German president's role is largely ceremonial, his words carry some weight and he has more freedom to express views than politicians.

Describing Russia's annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a watershed, Steinmeier said the U.S. behaviour represented a second historic rupture.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/german-president-says-us-is-destroying-world-order-2026-01-08/

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The article also mentions a new poll in Germany showing only 15% of Germans feel they can trust the US, compared to roughly 3/4 who feel they can trust France and the UK.