Here in the grand ballroom of Munich’s Bayerischer Hof was a moment for Europeans to feel good about themselves. Angela Merkel’s broadside against Donald Trump’s US administration in defence of the liberal international order unlocked a cascade of pent-up frustration. Mike Pence, who followed the German chancellor to the podium on Saturday, must have had his headphones turned off. America’s allies, the US vice-president intoned, should do as they were told.
That this exchange took place at the Munich Security Conference, for 50 years a spiritual home of Atlanticism, tells you something about the state of a relationship that not so long ago celebrated the victory over Soviet communism. Europeans have been inclined to downplay the impact of Mr Trump’s presidency on the Nato alliance. But enough is enough.
In this case, “enough” for Ms Merkel included Mr Trump’s unilateral decisions to pull American troops out Afghanistan and Syria, to withdraw from the treaty prohibiting the deployment of intermediate range nuclear weapons, and to threaten Europe for not falling into line with US sanctions against Iran. Each has a vital bearing on European security; all were taken by the White House without reference to, or discussion with, partners.