The German government wanted to build a pipeline in Germany. Today President Trump said the U.S. would sanction any company working on it. The contractor immediately stopped working and all other contractors have announced they will not pursue the business. In other words, Germany can not build things in Germany if the United States decides not to let it. The opposite, however, is not true.
https://www.ft.com/content/21535ebe-23d ... 3f0ec7e134
For all of the EU's braying and bravado, it continues to be a meek, dependent, and subservient pseudo-colony of the Pax Americana. They have been talking about how they are evolving to a new level of independence for five decades and how they will soon overtake the U.S. and yet, with each year that passes, the boot presses tighter on their neck. They will still be talking about their forthcoming new European hegemony as we're piling dirt on their grave the day after they've outlived their usefulness.