This month marked 18 months since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. From contentious tariff negotiations and remarks hinting at U.S. claims over Greenland, to military operations in Venezuela and strikes against Iran, the world has been put under duress by developments that challenge the foundations of the international order.

Among those facing the greatest pressure are Europe’s NATO member states, which have been called upon to assume a larger share of the alliance’s security burden.

This challenge is most pronounced for Germany, Europe’s largest economy and one of NATO’s most influential members. Germany’s choices have significant implications not only for European security but also for the future of transatlantic relations. Since taking office in May 2025 amid a deteriorating security environment and mounting pressure from Washington, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to make the Bundeswehr the strongest conventional military force in Europe.

From the outset his government has pursued an ambitious agenda of defense strengthening. It is therefore important to examine how Germany — long associated with its postwar policy of Westbindung (anchoring itself firmly within the Western alliance) and caution toward military expansion — is adapting its security policy in response to the Trump administration.

Turning point (Zeitenwende)

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany was governed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). Scholz’s declaration of a Zeitenwende before the Bundestag three days after the invasion was widely interpreted as signaling a fundamental shift away from Germany’s traditionally cautious defense posture and accommodative approach toward Russia. The term quickly entered both domestic and international discourse. Scholz further elaborated the concept in an article for Foreign Affairs, highlighting Germany’s evolving security outlook and requiring allies to assume greater responsibility rather than relying solely on the United States.

Yet despite the attention and praise that the concept received, it is difficult to conclude that Germany’s security........

© The Japan Times