photo #9134701

German Chancellor Panics Over Losing America's Free Defense RideGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz is sweating bullets at the thought of NATO fracturing. In a clip circulating widely, Merz declares, "We do not want a division of NATO."The veteran conservative leader sounds downright nervous that Germany could finally lose its decades-long "free defense sugar daddy" courtesy of American taxpayers and troops. For years, the U.S. has shouldered the heavy lifting in NATO while Germany and much of Europe skimped on their own defense spending, treating Uncle Sam like an endless ATM for security.This comes after tensions boiled over at the Munich Security Conference, where Merz admitted a "deep rift" has opened between Europe and the United States. He urged repairing ties but couldn't resist the usual European pitch: NATO benefits America too, so don't rock the boat. Merz pushed for a "strong, self-sustaining European pillar" inside the alliance while insisting Europe must shake off its "excessive dependence" on the U.S. He even warned that the old rules-based order "no longer exists" and that America can't go it alone in great-power rivalry.Too bad for Merz: Americans are done being played for suckers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made clear the Trump administration is eyeing shifts in U.S. forces, prioritizing bases and resources in European countries that actually pull their weight and cooperate. No more blank checks for deadbeats who lecture us while underfunding their militaries and expecting Washington to defend their borders.It's high time Europe grew up. Decades of U.S. protection let them blow budgets on bloated welfare states and green fantasies instead of real defense. If Germany doesn't want a NATO split, maybe start by hitting the 2 percent target honestly, ditching the freeloading, and showing some gratitude instead of panic when the free ride shows signs of ending.America First means no more subsidizing allies who mock us one day and beg for protection the next. The sugar daddy era is over. Time for a reality check in Berlin.