Trump confronts German port city already turning to China

Hamburg

LIKE many Germans, Thomas Luetje was shocked by US President Donald Trump's barbs aimed at his country's exporting prowess.

Unlike most of his compatriots, Mr Luetje is at the sharp end of Germany's vast trade surplus. And when it comes to the potential fallout of Mr Trump's combative rhetoric, the head of container operations at Hamburg's port operator isn't panicking just yet. "I thought there would be a pre-election a…