In the wake of Trump’s statements about withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany , Friedrich Merz stresses: “I will not give up working with Donald Trump on NATO.”
It is a statement intended to lower the tone between the two sides, although Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Murch has again expressed disagreement with Donald Trump’s handling of Iran and the closure of the Hormuz Strait.
Friedrich Merts even reiterated his criticism of US strategy. “If you want us to help you in such a conflict, call us in advance and ask us,” he told the ARD network. At the same time, he also defended his statement that “tIran is humiliating the US.”
Of course, on the issue of the reduction of the US military presence by 5,000, combined of course with the delayed delivery of the Tomahawk missiles, Friedrich Merz was quick to amuse the impression by saying: “It’s perhaps a bit exaggerated, but it’s nothing new“. In the same vein, Friedrich Murch dismissed as “speculation” that Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops was related to his own critical statements about the war in Iran. “There is no connection,” Friedrich Murch said sharply.
Specifically on the issue of Germany’s cooperation with the US within NATO, Friedrich Murch assured that he would not give up “the effort to improve the transatlantic relationship.” “I am not giving up on cooperation with Donald Trump either,” he said. However, Friedrich Murch admitted that the US president has a different view on NATO. “But this does not change the fact that I remain convinced that the Americans are our most important partners in the North Atlantic Alliance,” Friedrich Merts noted.
Asked about the deployment of US Tomahawk missiles in Germany, as pledged in 2024 by former US President Joe Biden, with the aim of enhancing Germany’s deterrent capabilities until Europe develops its own long-range missiles, Friedrich Murch made clear that for the time being this promise will not be kept.
“The Americans don’t have enough (Tomahawk missiles) at the moment and, objectively speaking, there is almost no way for the US to deliver weapons systems of this kind,” said Friedrich Murch. “But it is not yet too late,” he added.
At the same time, Friedrich Murch assured that “there is absolutely no limitation on the US commitment to nuclear deterrence on NATO territory. There is absolutely no doubt about that.”
