Ben Rhodes

That's a huge conversation. And it would totally change geopolitics if essentially Europe says, we are not going to depend on the United States to be our security guarantee anymore. We're going to be our own security guarantee."

That's a huge conversation. And it would totally change geopolitics if essentially Europe says, we are not going to depend on the United States to be our security guarantee anymore. We're going to be our own security guarantee."

That's going to ultimately mean that not only do they have a stronger defense capability, and they're talking about plussing up defense spending across the continent, but they're going to have their own views on geopolitics, on whether it's Ukraine, but it could be other issues as well. So I think you should take Mertz's signal as, hey, I'm actually not going to get into bed with these AFD guys.

That's going to ultimately mean that not only do they have a stronger defense capability, and they're talking about plussing up defense spending across the continent, but they're going to have their own views on geopolitics, on whether it's Ukraine, but it could be other issues as well. So I think you should take Mertz's signal as, hey, I'm actually not going to get into bed with these AFD guys.

That's going to ultimately mean that not only do they have a stronger defense capability, and they're talking about plussing up defense spending across the continent, but they're going to have their own views on geopolitics, on whether it's Ukraine, but it could be other issues as well. So I think you should take Mertz's signal as, hey, I'm actually not going to get into bed with these AFD guys.

I want to pull together a German center, albeit in the rightward direction. That is also part of a European response to Trump and Putin and have a kind of a third way here in Europe, which is a pretty rational thing, but it's an indication of how fast the tectonic plates are moving underneath the globe.

I want to pull together a German center, albeit in the rightward direction. That is also part of a European response to Trump and Putin and have a kind of a third way here in Europe, which is a pretty rational thing, but it's an indication of how fast the tectonic plates are moving underneath the globe.

I want to pull together a German center, albeit in the rightward direction. That is also part of a European response to Trump and Putin and have a kind of a third way here in Europe, which is a pretty rational thing, but it's an indication of how fast the tectonic plates are moving underneath the globe.

And he is his vote sure seem to suffer because of it.

And he is his vote sure seem to suffer because of it.

And he is his vote sure seem to suffer because of it.

No, that is nice. And I mean, I think the challenge of immigration, again, is it's not that the Social Democrats are super pro-immigration these days. There's very little of that in Germany. It's whether or not immigration policy can remain consistent with EU law, essentially. I think that's a tricky thing he has to manage. And also, you talked about growth. Guess what's helpful to growth?

No, that is nice. And I mean, I think the challenge of immigration, again, is it's not that the Social Democrats are super pro-immigration these days. There's very little of that in Germany. It's whether or not immigration policy can remain consistent with EU law, essentially. I think that's a tricky thing he has to manage. And also, you talked about growth. Guess what's helpful to growth?

No, that is nice. And I mean, I think the challenge of immigration, again, is it's not that the Social Democrats are super pro-immigration these days. There's very little of that in Germany. It's whether or not immigration policy can remain consistent with EU law, essentially. I think that's a tricky thing he has to manage. And also, you talked about growth. Guess what's helpful to growth?

Immigration. So if you just totally shut the doors, you have aging populations in Europe. How are you going to get growth? One thing we do know, though, is we've got You know, barring something strange happening, the Trump term, you're going to have Mertz in Germany, you're going to have Starmer in the UK because his mandate runs that far.

Immigration. So if you just totally shut the doors, you have aging populations in Europe. How are you going to get growth? One thing we do know, though, is we've got You know, barring something strange happening, the Trump term, you're going to have Mertz in Germany, you're going to have Starmer in the UK because his mandate runs that far.

Immigration. So if you just totally shut the doors, you have aging populations in Europe. How are you going to get growth? One thing we do know, though, is we've got You know, barring something strange happening, the Trump term, you're going to have Mertz in Germany, you're going to have Starmer in the UK because his mandate runs that far.

You have Macron for the next, you know, two years, two years. And so we kind of know the players. Actually, hopefully we'll have a Democratic House at least by the time Macron is gone. So you kind of know, OK, it's Mertz, Starmer, Macron. That's that's not bad lineup. It's, you know, and it runs the gamut from center left to center right. And Macron, uber centrist, you know.

You have Macron for the next, you know, two years, two years. And so we kind of know the players. Actually, hopefully we'll have a Democratic House at least by the time Macron is gone. So you kind of know, OK, it's Mertz, Starmer, Macron. That's that's not bad lineup. It's, you know, and it runs the gamut from center left to center right. And Macron, uber centrist, you know.

You have Macron for the next, you know, two years, two years. And so we kind of know the players. Actually, hopefully we'll have a Democratic House at least by the time Macron is gone. So you kind of know, OK, it's Mertz, Starmer, Macron. That's that's not bad lineup. It's, you know, and it runs the gamut from center left to center right. And Macron, uber centrist, you know.