Against this backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to lambaste Germany’s defense spending as “ridiculous,” according to Der Spiegel. The remarks come just days before the Ankara summit, where burden-sharing among NATO allies is expected to be a dominant theme.
Germany, however, had news of its own. The ruling coalition announced a major reform package that includes significant tax relief — an average family would be about €600 better off per year, according to The Hindu’s reporting on the deal. The package signals an attempt by the coalition to shore up domestic support while navigating intense transatlantic pressure to ramp up military expenditures.
Israel also featured in the geopolitical conversation, with Der Spiegel exploring why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — described as “militarily failed, diplomatically isolated, and now snubbed by Trump” — nonetheless enters a new election campaign as the favorite.
