USA: Politicians from the SPD and CDU warn against Donald Trump as president

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Donald Trump at a campaign event (January 2024)

Photo: Cj Gunther / EPA

Politicians from the SPD and CDU have viewed the failure of new aid to Ukraine in the US Senate as a warning signal. "The blockade of Ukraine aid in Congress is just a first foretaste of what could threaten if Donald Trump is re-elected to the White House in November," said the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Michael Roth (SPD), to the news portal "T -On-line".

“Europe’s security would then no longer be guaranteed from one day to the next,” Roth continued. "The future of free and independent Ukraine would be in grave danger."

At the same time, the SPD politician criticized the fact that the EU had relied for too long on the USA continuing to provide Ukraine with comprehensive military support. “We Europeans must finally take on more responsibility to contain and stop Russian imperialism,” said Roth. "This is the right path - regardless of whether the next president is called Trump or Biden."

“This policy is devastating for the US’s foreign policy weight”

“We must finally wake up and prepare for a possible Donald Trump presidency by investing massively in our own security,” said CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen to “T-Online”. With regard to the blockade policy of the Republicans in the US Congress, he added: "This policy is devastating for the foreign policy influence of the USA." It weakens the trust of the allies in the USA and encourages states such as China and Iran to challenge the USA militarily.

A legislative package worth $118 billion (around 110 billion euros) that provided money for securing the US border with Mexico and aid for Ukraine and Israel failed in the Senate on Wednesday. The reason for the failure was the resistance of the opposition Republicans.

Former President Trump has repeatedly spoken out against the legislative package in recent days, even though it was drafted jointly by senators from his Republican party and President Joe Biden's Democratic party. Trump, who wants to challenge Biden in the presidential election in November, apparently wants to use the issue of border security and immigration in the election campaign. The right-wing populist is therefore torpedoing any agreement in Congress on this issue.

Biden's Democrats now want to try to pass new aid for Ukraine and Israel in a separate law. Linking these funds to the issue of US border security was originally a concession from the ruling party to the Republicans.

aka/AFP