President Trump strongly criticized Germany for supporting the project and correctly observed that this will give Russia more political influence on Germany. This will intimidate other European nations, because the entire continent will be dependent on Russian natural gas. Furthermore, according to Forbes, "the Trump administration has threatened to sanction European companies investing in the pipeline." Imposing these sanctions against companies linked with Nord Stream 2 financing will certainly increase tensions between the U.S., Germany, and the Kremlin. Gazprom and its corporate "collaborators", could face sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)" according to Fortune. In addition, Handelsblatt Today points out that "Sources in the German government believe that, if extraterritorial sanctions did happen, the US would first target smaller, specialized firms involved in Nord Stream 2's construction."