German President Says Trump’s War on Iran Should Cause Permanent Rupture With US

Key Points:

• German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the U.S. war on Iran as "disastrous," stating it violates international law and causes an irreparable rupture in U.S.-German relations, comparable to Germany's break with Russia over Ukraine.
• Steinmeier criticized the U.S. justification for the war, calling it politically disastrous and unnecessary, emphasizing that the conflict could have been avoided if the goal was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
• He warned that trust in U.S. power is declining globally and urged Germany to develop its own military and technological capabilities, positioning the German military as central to Europe's conventional defense.
• Steinmeier did not address Israel's role or Germany's indirect support through the use of the Ramstein airbase for U.S. drone strikes, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed support for the war and praised Israel's actions against Iran.
• The comments highlight a division within Germany's leadership, with Steinmeier opposing the war and Merz aligning with U.S. and Israeli positions on Iran.