German Chancellor's Remarks That Enrage Trump
The statement made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has angered US President Donald Trump. Previously, Merz described Iran as “humiliating” Washington in the negotiation process.
Trump even accused Merz of having a misguided view on the Iran nuclear issue. He said that Merz “thinks it’s fine for Iran to have nuclear weapons. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” as reported by AFP on Thursday (30/4/2026).
On the other hand, Merz sought to defuse the situation by affirming that his personal relationship with Trump remains good.
“From my perspective, the personal relationship between the American president and me remains as good as before,” he stated during a press conference in Berlin.
Trump publicly reprimanded Merz for being seen as meddling in the Iran conflict. He asked the German Chancellor to focus more on other issues deemed more relevant to his country, including the Russia-Ukraine war.
“The German Chancellor should spend more time ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (where he is completely ineffective!), and fixing his broken country, especially Immigration and Energy issues,” Trump wrote on social media, as reported by Al Jazeera on Thursday (30/4/2026).
Trump also emphasised that Merz should not interfere in other parties’ efforts to address the Iran nuclear threat.
“(Merz should spend) less time meddling with parties that are removing the Nuclear Threat from Iran, which thereby makes the world, including Germany, a much safer place!” he added.
Threat of Reducing US Troops in Germany
Amid this tension, Trump also stated that he is considering reducing the number of US troops stationed in Germany.
“The United States is studying and reviewing the possibility of reducing troops in Germany, with a decision to be made in the near future,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, as reported by AFP on Thursday (30/4/2026).
This move is not the first time it has been voiced by Trump. During his tenure, he often criticised European allies regarding their contributions to NATO. Currently, the number of US troops in Germany is estimated to be tens of thousands of personnel.
The policy is also said to be related to the stance of several allies who do not fully support US military actions in the Iran conflict or contributions in strategic areas such as the Strait of Hormuz.