German Chancellor Angela Merkel has seen her country overcome deep skepticism to become unified and integrated into Europe. The next step, as she sees it, is for Germany to become a more unifying force globally.The daughter of a pastor who grew up in Communist half of a divided Germany, she's a staunch defender of democracy, a deep believer in the European Union and partnering with other nations, and she has a stiff spine whether she's standing up to Russian Vladimir Putin over Ukraine or demanding more of debt slackers during the euro crisis and Britain moving away from the EU.Now along comes an unpredictable American president sending tremors through Europe with his "America First" views, pulling out of Paris climate agreement, and rattling cages over NATO, trade and immigration.At the recent Group of 20 summit of world's economic powers in Hamburg, Germany it was 19 to 1 against Mr. Trump on free trade, climate change and migration. The summit was lead by Mrs. Merkel.Fewer than 3 in 10 people in 37 countries express confidence in Trump to "do the right thing" in international affairs according to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center.Meanwhile Merkel said that at this time we cannot "fully count" on others, meaning the United States, indicating an underlying resiliency.Despite a lack of confidence in Trump, Merkel's prevailing view is that her country and the US will return to its good relationship in the next few years. However, for how she is ready to take over world leadership vacated by America.It looks like America is moving into a lesser world power like the British Empire did years ago.