German chancellor Angela Merkel issued a call for unity within the E.U. at a campaign event Sunday, stating that she learned over "the past few days" that "the times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over."
Merkel's comments came after President Trump scolded NATO members over defense spending and was at odds with the rest of the G7 over climate change.
"We Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands."
Why it matters: These are extraordinary words from Merkel, revealing fractures within the transatlantic alliance — long underpinned by close cooperation between the U.S., U.K., France and Germany — after the seismic events of Trump's election and Brexit. Times have changed — just a few months ago, Merkel was Barack Obama's closest foreign partner.
Symbolism alert: It was no accident that France's Emmanuel Macron embraced Merkel before shaking hands with Trump at the NATO summit last week. European alliances are being strengthened, and the U.S. is increasingly on the outside looking in.