Whether threatening to end climate protection policies and slap import tariffs on EU goods or envisioning a new imperialism that lays claim to the Panama Canal and Greenland, Donald Trump has been confirming all the worst fears of many German politicians.

Despite this, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated the new US president on his inauguration.

Wishing him "strength and success" for the tasks ahead, he added that, "[t]ogether, we can provide crucial momentum on both sides of the Atlantic for freedom, peace and security, as well as prosperity and economic development."

But Scholz was not present in Washington, nor was Germany's opposition leader Friedrich Merz from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Trump had only invited politically like-minded politicians, such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei.

Most German politicians had either hinted or openly stated that they would much rather have seen the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, enter the White House.

Only Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party seems to be looking forward to another Trump administration. Trump loyalist Elon Musk openly........

© Deutsche Welle