EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Tim Sheehy slams Germany for “freeloading” on medicine and defense
As the U.S. negotiates trade polices with Europe, Sen. Tim Sheehy (R., Mont.) says Germany is “freeloading” off the American pharmaceutical and defense industries. The charge is the latest sign that Senate Republicans are growing more vocal about pressing wealthy European countries to pay more to help American consumers.
In an exclusive statement to the Washington Reporter, Sheehy argued that Germany’s drug and defense policies have shifted costs onto American consumers for years.
“Europe has been freeloading off of our defense and drug industry for years,” Sheehy told the Washington Reporter. “Germany needs to pay their fair share so we can bring prices down for American consumers.”
The comments come as Republicans increasingly argue that one of the best ways to lower prescription drug costs in the United States is not through government price controls, but by ending what they describe as foreign governments’ underpayment for American-developed medicines.
Sheehy, who has quickly earned a reputation as one of the Senate Republican Conference’s most respected freshman and influential senators, is the latest Republican to embrace that argument.
Republicans have long contended that European governments use centralized price-setting systems to negotiate substantially lower prices than Americans pay for the same medicines, forcing U.S. patients to shoulder a disproportionate share of the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. Germany has become a particular focus because of its size and influence within Europe, with Republicans arguing that if wealthy allies paid closer to market rates, American consumers would no longer bear as much of the burden.
The issue mirrors a longstanding Republican criticism of Europe’s defense spending. For years, GOP lawmakers and President Trump have argued that NATO allies relied on American taxpayers for their security instead of investing adequately in their own militaries. Now, some Republicans are applying the same argument to pharmaceuticals.
The issue has gained momentum since President Donald Trump renewed his push for foreign countries to pay more for prescription drugs developed by American companies. Administration officials and congressional Republicans have increasingly argued that addressing international pricing disparities should be part of any broader effort to reduce drug costs in the United States.
Sheehy’s comments suggest that message is gaining traction inside the Senate Republican Conference. The Reporter will continue to closely cover trade negotiations as they progress.
