Gingrich, who is 73 years old, for many years considered the Republican party a supporter of a hard line. For 20 years he was a Deputy in Congress. From 1995 to 1999, was speaker of the house of representatives. During the election campaign it was talked about as a possible candidate trump for Vice President.
SPIEGEL: Mr. Gingrich, what do You expect from the first hundred days of the Board of trump?
Gingrich: Oh, many things will happen. Donald trump is an energetic person. I think that in the first week, it will cancel many of the degrees of Barack Obama and will be free from his heritage. And on many fronts will begin moving forward. I expect this will be a very successful first week.
SPIEGEL: Many fear that after the inauguration of the trump, Your country will change, it will become less tolerant and more authoritarian, more like the Russia of Vladimir Putin. There are concerns in Europe.
Gingrich: But it’s some irrational fear, something almost painful. To the most open and diverse nation on the planet at least a little nudge in the direction of Russia, — the sensible person it’s just hard to imagine. Have you ever been in Moscow?
SPIEGEL: unfortunately, no.
Gingrich: Then ask Your colleagues, in what conditions there are, for example, journalists, and look around what You see here. These two countries cannot be compared. I know Europe and I know Europeans. I lived as a child soldier in Stuttgart, I was defending myself on the subject of European history, I also lived in France and Belgium. And I’m sorry that some Europeans are spreading such nonsense.
SPIEGEL: But Americans are too afraid for their country. Many fear a new arms race. That it may come to trump himself recently said.
Gingrich: When I see Russian in the last ten years perfecting their nuclear weapons, then you understand that this arms race already exists. Russia is improving its nuclear system, heavily relies on tactical nuclear weapons and such, against which no missile defense can’t do. Russians are also investing in the development of weapons of robots, it is obvious also in the development of tanks, robots. Moscow prepared to pay probably more money to develop innovative military technology than all the Europeans combined.
SPIEGEL: how will Donald trump the US attitude to NATO?
Gingrich: Not dramatic. But I suspect that it will be tough to deal with all those countries that at least NATO required 2% of GDP spend on defense. He will ask them why we Americans have to pay for the parasites.
SPIEGEL: does this Mean that he wants to guarantee military support to the countries-members of NATO, which meets the requirement of 2% of GDP?
Gingrich: I think he’s just not able to do so. But it will be very straightforward in dealing with those governments that pay less. NATO is an Alliance, so all members should be able to pay their dues.
SPIEGEL: the Europeans are also afraid of the Union between Putin and trump. What do You expect in this regard?
Gingrich: I think that trump does not consider itself obliged to wage the cold war against Russia. But he is very careful. By the way, I think unhealthy is already very formulation of the question: people are afraid of what trump will start an arms race. And at the same time they are afraid that he will give them to Putin. It’s just cool. What, in fact, afraid of still more? Trump said it: whoever wants an arms race, that we expel.
SPIEGEL: Tweet trump, who actually was the beginning of the debate could just as well relate to China and Russia.
Gingrich: I believe that we will explain to the Chinese that in our time they are the leading Maritime power in the South China sea.
SPIEGEL: AND again about Russia. The US secret service came to the conclusion that the Russians tried to influence the American election campaign. Can Washington accept that?
Gingrich: Well, Obama told me to listen even the German Chancellor. Governments do these things. And I don’t know about any Russian shares, which would really have an impact on our elections.
SPIEGEL: the US Secret service believe the impact is also likely because Russian hackers had taken part in the Scam email of the Democrats.
Gingrich: No. Authorities say that an attempt was made to influence elections. But they do not prove that the Russians had made any valid effect.
SPIEGEL: Senators Lindsey Graham (Lindsey Graham) and John McCain (John McCain), Your friends at the party, appreciate it very differently and require harsh reaction of America.
Gingrich: I don’t like long speeches, which have no sense. View, for us it would be very difficult to teach Russian. I would really like to know how we should do it. We can only complain. And Putin has already used to the fact that Obama and his Secretary of state John Kerry from time to time and make noise. It seems that in Moscow it makes no impression.
SPIEGEL: trump often talks about his sympathy for Putin. You can explain that it so delights in the Russian President?
Gingrich: Not really. I think he thinks Putin is a strong man. And so he sees himself. But I don’t think he sees the Putin government at least some sample.
SPIEGEL: Some Europeans fear that trump could ever lose their patience and click the atomic button.
Gingrich: I think he is very careful in all that concerns atomic weapons. He is deeply concerned. And this is perhaps one of the reasons for his very careful treatment of Putin. He knows how much Putin has nuclear weapons. He also knows that the Russian military doctrine in relation to the use of the atomic bomb is much more open than the us.
© AP Photo, Seth WenigДональд trump and newt Gingrich
SPIEGEL: How soft trump manages to Russia, so he speaks harshly about other countries. First of all about Mexico. Do You think he really will build a wall on the border and Mexico it also will pay?
Gingrich: the Wall is built, and Mexico will pay.
SPIEGEL: the President of Mexico says he will not pay in any case.
Gingrich: There are different methods. For example, we could raise the tariffs on all exports to Mexico. Or customs duties on the cars that we import from Mexico. Or we could confiscate all the property of Mexican drug cartels in the U.S. — this alone would be enough to pay for the wall.
SPIEGEL: Duties and customs charges, you can start a trade war which will ultimately cause damage and also the United States.
Gingrich: No. USA is the largest market in the world. I’m not afraid of countries that want to engage in a trade war with the us. They will lose it.
SPIEGEL: You said that Your biggest fear is that team trump can lose his nerve during his reign. What do You mean?
Gingrich: There is much that could trump the command to slow down or stop — bureaucracy, regulations, lobbyists, and journalists. The persistence of all these forces that want to avoid change, will be so strong that the government team trump may reduce turnover and ever decide to be reasonable. But if he and his people are smart, they will lose.
SPIEGEL: Why is that?
Gingrich: somebody who knows the situation in Brussels, knows what I’m talking about. There are attempts to encourage the EU’s bureaucracy on something, but if you can’t push, then nothing will move. This bureaucratic monster just sits there and looks at everyone. Here in America, the same problem. Most bureaucrats voted for Hillary Clinton. They hate what he wants to achieve trump. Most think they will be able to sit out because they can’t be fired.
SPIEGEL: During the election campaign You worked closely with trump. If it changed myself during these months?
Gingrich: He learned a lot. The magnitude of responsibility made him more sober. I think he can now better see how big challenges. It is during this time spoke to 75 leading politicians from around the world and is worried about how he can succeed in a responsible way. And he wants to achieve something.
SPIEGEL: Many advised him that he should act more like a statesman. This has not happened yet.
Gingrich: trump is what he is. For example, he will not stop tweeting. I hope that people just get used to it. Each President has their own style. We choose them not for some standards.
SPIEGEL: do you have trump something like a Grand strategy?
Gingrich: No. But it has direction. He wants to restore the authority and power of America, and again to set in motion economy.
SPIEGEL: was there during the election campaign time when You were clear, that Donald trump can actually win?
Gingrich: Yes, even quite early. So, in August 2016, was exchanging blows with TV presenter Kelly and all the elite of the country thought that tramp in this battle lost. But 60 or 70% of the people who spoke on this subject in the Internet, saw it as the winner. I thought that if the gap between the elite and normal citizens is so great, then something unusual happens. The people were fed up with the political correctness of the government which is not working, and the fact that some people weakness mistaken for wisdom. It is very simple.
SPIEGEL: one of trump’s advisors will be the most influential?
Gingrich: No One. He will have many advisers. Trump will never listen to only one or two people.
SPIEGEL: Many saw You as a candidate for Vice President or Cabinet members trump. Why You were outside?
Gingrich: I want to have the freedom to a possible end of the term of the trump in 2020 and want without regard to speak their mind. Because I think it will be the most amazing presidency in my lifetime. It can become very, very good, or disappoint. I will do everything to ensure that it was good. But for this I don’t need to post. And the chances of success in trump’s high.
SPIEGEL: Where did you get this optimism?
Gingrich: the U.S. is a huge country with huge resources. The American spirit created by Henry Ford, bill gates, Mark Zuckerberg. If we take it, we can be matchless. The incompetence of the current government was so great that even though something significant Manager could have a chance. And Donald trump is a very good Manager.
