Trump tells Merz to ‘fix your broken country’ in new rant after threatening to reduce US troop numbers in Germany
The Independent • • general
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for focusing on Ukraine and domestic issues instead of supporting US efforts to counter Iran's nuclear threat, amid talks of reducing US troops in Germany.
- Trump’s comments follow Merz’s remarks that Iran is humiliating the US in nuclear negotiations, leading to heightened tensions between Washington and Berlin.
- The US maintains over 36,000 troops in Germany, but Trump signaled a possible troop reduction as part of a broader dispute involving NATO members’ support in the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.
- Trump also disparaged European efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that Europe has a greater stake in its security than the US.
- During a state visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla, Trump praised the monarch and suggested that Charles would have supported US military actions against Iran, though Buckingham Palace reaffirmed the King's adherence to the UK government's stance on nuclear non-proliferation.
