GERMAN President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has strongly criticised the U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
Steinmeier urged the world not to let the world order disintegrate into a “den of robbers” where the unscrupulous take what they want.
In unusually strong remarks, which appeared to refer to actions such as the ousting of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, the former foreign minister said global democracy was being attacked as never before.
Although the German president’s role is largely ceremonial, his words carry some weight as he has more freedom to express views than politicians.
Describing Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a watershed, Steinmeier said the U.S. behaviour represented a second historic rupture.
“Then there is the breakdown of values by our most important partner, the USA, which helped build this world order,” Steinmeier said in remarks at a symposium.
“It is about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers,” he said.
Active intervention was needed in threatening situations and countries such as Brazil and India must be convinced to protect the world order, he said. (Reuters/NAN)
Trump Withdraws U.S. from 66 International Organisations
Meanwhile President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal of his country from 66 international organisations which he claimed “no longer serve American interests”.
Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State said in a statement from the White House that the organisations were identified as part of the Trump administration’s review of wasteful, ineffective and harmful international organisations.
It would be recalled that Trump had on Feb. 4, 2025, issued Executive Order 14199, withdrawing the U.S. from and ending funding to certain UN organisations.
The Secretary of State was later directed, in consultation with the U.S. Representative to the UN, to conduct a review of all international intergovernmental organisations of which the U.S. is a member and provides any type of support.
According to Rubio, review of additional international organisations pursuant to Executive Order 14199 remains ongoing.
“President Trump is clear; it is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it.
“The days of billions of dollars in taxpayer money flowing to foreign interests at the expense of our people are over. As such, the United States will be withdrawing from the 66 organisations,” he said.
Some of the Non-United Nations organisations on the list include the Global Forum on Migration and Development, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law and others.
The United Nations Organisations include, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Trade Centre, Peacebuilding Commission, Peacebuilding Fund, Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, UN Alliance of Civilisations.
Others are the UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Democracy Fund, UN Energy, UN Women, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Population Fund, among others.
On Rubio’s part, what started as a pragmatic framework of international organisations for peace and cooperation has morphed into a sprawling architecture of global governance.
This, he said was often dominated by progressive ideology and detached from national interests.
“From DEI mandates to gender equity campaigns to climate orthodoxy, many international organisations now serve a globalist project rooted in the discredited fantasy of the “End of History”.
“These organisations actively seek to constrain American sovereignty.
“Their work is advanced by the same elite networks – the multilateral “NGO-plex” – that we have begun dismantling through the closure of USAID.”
“America will not continue expending resources, diplomatic capital, and the legitimising weight of its participation in institutions that are irrelevant to or in conflict with its interests.
“We reject inertia and ideology in favour of prudence and purpose. We seek cooperation where it serves our people and will stand firm where it does not,” he said. (NAN)
