German Leadership and citizen is under US control since the fall of hitler. and as a sovereign nation they are looking for a way out from the US hegemony umbrella.. Their economic might was sapped by the EU as german is one of the EU member that was shackled to provide funds for other EU nations. This in itself is a cause for resentment in german civilians, but really this is just a form of control to keep germany getting to strong and start to expand militarily if they are not under US hegemony.
Imagine a German powerhouse linked economically with Russia (with its massive energy resource) and China (Economic powerhouse).. These 3 nation is enough to bring down US Dollar as the global currency and thus indirectly ruin US goverment.
The Trans-Atlantic NATO alliance served two purposes. It kept the Soviet Union at bay and served as a foil against the natural dominance of Germany. The US was the element X; the substance which while posing no threat to Europe in itself also kept Europe's destructive dynamics at bay.
US Goverment's incompetence has not merely destabilized East-West, but it has also undermined the West-West. US Goverment "confrontational" approach to Russia -- which is without substance -- ironically requires US to coerce its allies because US wants to "lead from behind" being unable or unwilling to lead from the front.
This could not last.