German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he remains committed to working with United States President Donald Trump, despite recent tensions over the war in Iran.
Speaking in an interview with public broadcaster ARD, due to air on Sunday, Merz said he would continue to prioritise transatlantic ties. “I am not giving up on working on the transatlantic relationship,” he said. “Nor am I giving up on working with Donald Trump.”
Relations between the two leaders have come under strain following criticism from Merz and other European figures of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. On 27 April, the German chancellor said Iran was “humiliating” Washington during negotiations, prompting a series of sharp responses from the US, including comments from Trump that Merz was doing a “terrible” job.
Merz sought to play down the dispute, saying differences of opinion should not be overstated. He also dismissed suggestions that Washington’s decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from bases in Germany was linked to the disagreement. “It may be being exaggerated a bit, but it’s not new,” he said, adding that the move had “no connection” to recent tensions.
The chancellor also indicated that a planned deployment of US long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany, first announced under former president Joe Biden, may be postponed. He said this was due to reduced US stockpiles, affected by ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. “The Americans themselves don’t have enough at the moment,” he said. “Objectively speaking, there is hardly any possibility from the US of relinquishing weapons systems of this kind.”
Despite this, Merz stressed that future cooperation remained possible and that European NATO members could continue to deter potential threats without those specific systems or additional US forces. “The train has not departed,” he said.
Donald Trump has also criticised other European leaders in recent weeks, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He said Italy had “not been of any help” and described Spain as “horrible”.
Merz acknowledged differences in approach to the Iran conflict but said there was agreement on broader objectives. “We have a different view of this war. That’s no secret,” he said. “I’m not the only one who feels that way.”
He added that while Trump may be less receptive to differing opinions at present, the United States remains a key partner. “That does not alter the fact that I remain convinced that the Americans are important partners for us—our most important partners in the North Atlantic alliance,” he said.
