German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is facing a growing rift with U.S. President Donald Trump after his swipe over the war in Iran, speaks with a soldier during his visit to the German army barracks in Munster on April 30, 2026.Daniel Reinhardt/AFP via Getty Images

Merz shrugs off Trump clash over troops, trade – POLITICO

by · POLITICO

BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz tried to lower the temperature of transatlantic relations on Sunday by talking up his relationship with President Donald Trump — but didn’t pretend things are rosy.

After Merz took a swipe at Trump over U.S. military action in Iran last week, the president responded by insulting Merz on social media and saying he would pull American troops out of Germany. Days later he threatened to hit the EU with higher auto tariffs.

“I believe that a good partnership includes respecting differing views,” Merz said during an interview on German public channel ARD. “I do that, and I think he does as well — at the moment perhaps a bit less.”