The German Bundestag (parliament) passed a package of constitutional amendments exempting defense spending above 1% of GDP -- broadly defined to include Ukraine aid -- from the "debt brake" barring the country from having an annual deficit greater than 0.35% of GDP. To secure support from the Greens and SPD, the package will also create a 500-billion Euro infrastructure fund, 20% of which will be dedicated to climate change measures.

https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-parliament-spending-reforms-defense-military-infrastructure-friedrich-merz/

back in October i said on a text chain with my brothers that Germany wanting nukes would be a catastrophic outcome of a Trump presidency. at the time i figured that was 10-20% chance. 

what would you say the odds are now? 40%? 50%?

I don’t know, but honestly: Why is that catastrophic?

Strategic communications advisor.

Recovering politics reporter, HuffPost.

From a geostrategic perspective, Germany is extremely vulnerable, which is part of the story of the world wars.
 
Integrating them into the European economy and giving them the US nuclear umbrella is a bear hug that has helped alleviate the natural anxiety of their position.

Germany getting nukes is, first, a sign that the post WW2 order is irreparably broken. Second, Germany's neighbors would be rightfully concerned (given the history) and probably respond in kind. Arms race, especially nuclear, in a multipolar world has a lot of bad potential outcomes.

Fair enough, though I'm not sure European nations getting nukes is as crazy as other countries.

I don't want the WWII framework to fall apart but it might need some updating with Europeans doing more of their own defense.

agree on both points. it's good to have Europe take a stronger role in its own defense. US backstop could probably keep it from escalating into an arms race, but i fear we're in the process of torching our credibility on that front.