President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on the German chancellor, after saying that his administration will review the possible reduction of US troops in Germany amid an escalating dispute with Berlin over the Iran war.
On Thursday, the US president wrote on social media that Friedrich Merz should be spending more time on ending the Ukraine war, “where he has been totally ineffective”, and on “fixing his broken Country”.
He added that the chancellor should focus on his immigration and energy issues and “spend less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat”.
His statement follows his previous criticism of Mr Merz over the war in Iran, a day after Mr Merz said the Iranians were humiliating the United States in talks to end it.
On Wednesday, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social: “The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time.”
The US has a significant military presence in Germany, with more than 36,000 active duty troops assigned to bases across the country as of last December.
His anger stems from a talk the chancellor held with students in Marsberg, where Mr Merz suggested it was Mr Trump’s team that was being outplayed, despite confident statements from the White House.
“The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” he said.
“An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible.”
Mr Trump’s administration has also repeatedly engaged in scathing criticism of many of the Nato members for not assisting in the US-Israeli war against Iran, including berating some for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth recently dismissed efforts being led by the UK and France to ensure the future security of the waterway as “silly” and said they should have “less fancy conferences in Europe and get in a boat”.
He said Europe needed the strait “much more than we do” and that it was “much more their fight than ours”.
Earlier, Mr Trump warned that Iran had “better get smart” about a nuclear deal as he appeared to threaten a return to military action.
The president posted an image of himself brandishing an assault rifle against the backdrop of an exploding hillside with the caption “no more Mr Nice Guy”.
Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear [sic] deal. They better get smart soon!”
The president has justified the US-Israeli offensive, arguing it is aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.
Following the visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to Washington DC for a state visit on Monday and Tuesday, Mr Trump told reporters the monarch “would have probably helped” the US in its military offensive.
He made his remarks in the Oval Office following Charles’s speech to Congress, in which the monarch argued the need for a strong Nato and help for Ukraine.
Mr Trump has repeatedly lambasted the UK for failing to join strikes against Tehran and branded Sir Keir Starmer as weak and indecisive.
The president said: “The King is fantastic. We spent a lot of time together. We had a lot of talk. We talked about this also, and he loves his country, and he’s a great king, and he’s a great friend of mine.
“And I think if he were doing that, if that were up to him, he would have probably helped us with Iran.”
Mr Trump added: “I think he’s a phenomenal representative for his country. I think the people in the United Kingdom should be proud.”
Conversations with the monarch are normally kept private, but the president told a white-tie state banquet: “We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever – Charles agrees with me, even more than I do – we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”
In response, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The King is naturally mindful of his government’s long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.”
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