5 days ago
German minister notes 'harsh tone' in US ahead of Merz-Trump meeting
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called for the preservation of the well-established US-German relations ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's meeting with US President Donald Trump.
"Yes, the tone hasn't been as harsh as this for a long time," Wadephul said in the evening at a meeting of former Arthur F Burns Fellowship scholars in Berlin.
He diagnosed "profound changes in the US itself with an unknown outcome" and a new style of interaction following the Trump administration's inauguration, "which is unsettling and also disconcerting."
However, the conservative politician stressed that one must "not panic." "Instead, we must endure this storm phase by first focusing on our own interests." This also means that Germany must strengthen its defence capabilities, safeguard its trade interests, and "articulate [its] understanding of freedom of expression and academic freedom."
Wadephul, who visited the US capital Washington last week, assessed the talks with his US counterpart Marco Rubio as a positive signal: "They have made me confident that we can reach agreements in mutual interest even on issues where we have differences of opinion."
Difficult talks for Merz
Merz is travelling to the United States on Wednesday and is due to speak with Trump at the White House on Thursday.
During the election campaign, the chancellor sharply criticized the US government's interference in German domestic politics. Currently, Trump's threat of permanently high tariffs on EU goods is also straining the relationship.
With regard to the Ukraine war, Merz, along with other European leaders, is striving for a common stance with the US towards Russia.
There is anticipation as to whether Merz will have to contend with a similarly unfriendly reception at the White House as, for example, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Wadephul stresses US support
Wadephul emphasized that the US had repeatedly supported Germany after liberation from Nazi rule during reconstruction and also during reunification. "We should and will never forget that."
The Arthur F Burns Fellowship is a trans-Atlantic exchange programme for journalists, named after a former US Federal Reserve chairman and ambassador to Germany.
