Merz plays down row with Trump over 'humiliation' comment

BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday insisted he and Donald Trump are still on good terms after the US president laid into him for saying Iran is “humiliating” Washington at the negotiating table.

“From my point of view, the personal relationship between the American president and myself remains just as good as before,” Merz told a press conference in Berlin.

The German leader said he had expressed doubts about the US-Israeli war on Iran “from the very beginning”.

“We in Germany and in Europe are suffering considerably from the consequences,” Merz said.

“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has a direct impact on our energy supply (and) massive repercussions for our economic performance. And in that respect, I am pressing for this conflict to be resolved.”

Merz added that he and Trump are “still engaged in good talks with one another”.

During a visit to a school in western Germany earlier this week, Merz said he could not see “what strategic exit the Americans are going to choose, especially since the Iranians are obviously negotiating very skillfully — or very skillfully not negotiating”.

“An entire nation is being humiliated there by the Iranian leadership, above all by these so-called Revolutionary Guards,” he said.

Trump lashed out at Merz over the comments on Tuesday.

“The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network.