Angela Merkel rejects Donald Trump’s claims that German cars are a threat
The biggest BMW plant is in South Carolina not in the carmaker’s homeland of Bavaria, says German chancellor
Chancellor Angela Merkel took President Donald Trump to task before an audience of senior security officials in Munich, calling his administration’s suggestion that European autos are a threat to US national security a “shock.” In a pointed defense of multilateral institutions ahead of a speech by US Vice President Mike Pence at the Munich Security Conference, the German leader called for global trade and co-operation. The biggest BMW plant is in South Carolina, she said, not in the carmaker’s homeland of Bavaria in southern Germany. “Look, we’re proud of our cars,” Merkel said Saturday. “We’re allowed to be. And these cars are built in the United States of America.” “If these cars, which are no less a threat than those built in Bavaria, are suddenly a national security threat to the US, then that’s a shock to us,” Merkel said, to loud applause. Still, Germany would be hurt by sanctions, according to data released Friday by the IFO Institute’s Center for International Economics. If ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.