A prominent German business leader is generating considerable discussion with his surprisingly nuanced assessment of Donald Trump’s rhetoric and a stark warning about Europe’s reliance on US technology. Gerd Chrzanowski, head of the Schwarz Group – the parent company of retail giants Lidl and Kaufland – has stated that Trump’s direct critiques of European policy, despite being often opposed, possess a valuable element of clarity.
Speaking to “Welt am Sonntag” and Business Insider Germany, Chrzanowski argued that Europe’s potential is being hampered by fragmentation and excessive bureaucracy. He positioned Trump’s provocations as a necessary “wake-up call” emphasizing the urgent need for greater European unity and cooperation. This endorsement, even with reservations about Trump’s broader agenda, is likely to fuel debate within European political circles already grappling with questions of sovereignty and collective action.
Beyond the political commentary, Chrzanowski raised a critical alarm about Europe’s dependence on US cloud infrastructure. He warned that the United States possesses the ability to effectively “switch off the lights” for European businesses and governments through control of critical digital resources. While acknowledging he considered a complete shutdown improbable, he pointed to the disruptive shutdown of Microsoft’s cloud services for the Israeli military during the recent conflict in Gaza as a tangible example of the risks associated with outsourcing vital infrastructure to foreign entities.
This concern is particularly noteworthy given Chrzanowski’s leadership role within the Schwarz Group, which includes StackIT, a European cloud and IT provider. His position provides him with a keen understanding of the technological landscape and underscores the growing political pressure to foster European digital autonomy. The implicit call for investment in and preference for, European alternatives to US tech giants is likely to be interpreted as a significant contribution to the ongoing debate about data sovereignty and strategic technological independence within the European Union. Whether this will translate into concrete policy changes remains to be seen, but Chrzanowski’s remarks have undeniably injected a new and arguably uncomfortable urgency into the conversation.
