'Insanely frustrated': Americans in Germany react to Trump's threats against Europe

US President Donald Trump wants to seize control of Greenland, a move that would both violate international law and go against the wishes of Greenland and European Union member states including Germany.

Conflict around the issue escalated this week when Trump threatened European countries with additional tariffs if they continued to stand in opposition – a move which saw the EU preparing for an all out trade war and even caused German leaders to propose boycotting this year’s football World Cup.

Having met with united opposition from Europe, Trump has since walked back his threats to use force or further tariffs over Greenland – a move that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called ‘the right way to go’.

But with tensions between the European countries and the US at the highest level that's been seen in generations, where does this leave US nationals who live in Germany?

We asked our American readers in Germany for their thoughts. The majority of whom expressed shock and outrage at the Trump administration's threats against Greenland.

‘Embarrassed and angry’

Asked for their feelings about Trump’s increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Europe, the vast majority of Americans who responded to our survey voiced strong disapproval.

One response, left by a reader who did not share their name, summed up the general sentiment in just three words: “Embarrassed. Worried. Appalled.”

Mindy M., who lives in Heinsberg, said, “Trump’s actions and rhetoric have no place in the America I grew up believing in, nor do they have a place toward the nations we call our allies.”

She added that she feels “insanely frustrated, embarrassed, and angry.”

“Each day is increasingly stunning,” said Larry Schulz, a long-time resident of Munich from Illinois. “[Trump’s] rhetoric and decisions are having a highly adverse impact on our transatlantic relations.”

“He needs to be impeached!” said William Martin.

Joni who lives in Hessen said plainly, “I am very strongly against the regime and politics of the current Trump administration.”

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Helen, who lives in Bonn, sees the situation a bit differently.

“I don't think we should take things too seriously. Economic health is also in the US's interest,” she said. 

Writing from Freiburg, Julie B. said she agreed with some points Trump has made but does not support his tactics, adding, “I wish the hostile rhetoric would have been made in closed door meetings.”

Of about 20 readers who completed and submitted The Local’s survey, just a couple voiced strong support for Trump and his recent actions.

“I appreciate his strong stance,” said Frank Miller who lives in Cologne.

Asked if he’d noticed a change in how Germans treat him as an American given recent developments, Miller said, “They treat me like the idiot I am.”

Most other respondents said the political situation hasn’t resulted in them being treated negatively by their German friends and colleagues.

“I've had no negative personal interactions yet,” said Christopher W. in Wiesbaden, but he added that Germans “would be entirely justified in viewing the US differently than in time past.”

Similarly, RJ Castleberg in Stuttgart said, “Germans have not changed how they react to me as an American, except perhaps to show more pity. 

“But they are continually shocked by the direction international politics are taking and their opinion of the US only continues to plummet.”

Michael Schuster-Johnson, who lives in Berlin said he hadn’t noticed negative views directed at him, “However, I always get the question, ‘What is going on in your country?’”

Julie B. said she’s noticed that people around her are no longer making jokes about Trump: “It simply isn’t funny anymore.”

She added that she knows many who have cancelled their plans to vacation in the US.

Pushed to Germany

More than one respondent suggested that Trump and political developments in the US were among the reasons they moved to Germany.

READ ALSO: 'I will never move back' - How do Americans in Germany feel about Trump's election win?

“I believe this is only proving the point that Americans do not agree with the direction of their nation, [and instead] are choosing to leave and settle down elsewhere,” said Johan Abraham, who moved to Frankfurt last March.

Kent Robinson, who has come to Dortmund from Indianapolis, spoke along similar lines: “It underscores the reason that I moved from the US to Germany last August…that the US has a president who is more concerned about himself than the rest of the world and American allies, let alone the US itself.”

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the survey. We weren't able to include all of the responses, but we read them all and they helped inform the article. If you didn't get a chance to respond, you're welcome to share your views in the comments section below.