US-Iran War Impacts German Economy, Merz-Trump Rift Emerges
The US-Iran war is impacting the German economy and causing a rift between German Chancellor Merz and US President Trump. Merz's questioning of the US's Iran strategy led to Trump's backlash and renewed threats of withdrawing US troops from Germany.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 18:18
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 18:31 (13 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 08:19 (13h 47m after Collected)
US-Iran War Key News
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lin Shangying, Berlin, 30th) The US-Iran war has triggered global economic and energy shocks. German Chancellor Merz recently publicly questioned the US's Iran strategy, drawing a backlash from US President Trump, who posted on his social media on the 29th, stating, "Merz doesn't know what he's talking about," and again threatened to withdraw US troops stationed in Germany.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pointed out at an event with students this Monday that the US's war against Iran "obviously lacks a clear strategy," and he found it difficult to judge how Washington would conclude it. These remarks, after being reported by international media, drew dissatisfaction from Donald Trump.
Yesterday, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, criticizing Merz for "not knowing what he's talking about," accusing Merz of supporting Iran's possession of nuclear weapons, and criticizing Germany's poor economic performance.
However, German media outlets including Der Spiegel and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that Merz has never made statements supporting Iranian nuclear weapons and has repeatedly stated in public that Iran will never be allowed to produce nuclear weapons.
Regarding Trump's criticism, Merz today tried to de-escalate when asked by German media if there was a rift with Trump, stating, "As far as I'm concerned, my personal relationship with the US President remains good," but also reiterated that his concerns about the war have long existed, which is why he chose to publicly state his position.
Since the outbreak of the US-Iran war, Merz's interactions with Trump have been in stark contrast to the past. When they met at the White House last year, Trump once called Merz a "great leader." In the early days of his tenure, Merz also actively communicated with Trump by phone, once pointing out that he, along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, was one of the few European leaders who could maintain trust and communication with Trump.
The New York Times analyzed that the US-Iran war has severely impacted the German economy. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to soaring fuel prices, causing the German government to significantly lower its economic growth forecast for this year, and costing Merz politically.
According to various German polls, Merz's center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and its southern German sister party (CSU) have recently fallen behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in support. The AfD has risen to become Germany's most supported party recently, and it is widely believed that this is related to recent high oil prices and widespread public dissatisfaction with the Merz-led government.
Merz, a former senior executive at an American company, has always been regarded as a staunch transatlanticist. However, in a recent interview with Der Spiegel, he said, "The transatlantic relationship is no longer what I once knew it to be." He admitted that both sides are drifting apart, with the US increasingly unwilling to unconditionally bear Europe's security responsibilities, and Europe also hoping to no longer be completely dependent on the US.
Merz also stated in the interview, "As German Chancellor, the most important contribution I can make is to maintain unity on this side of the Atlantic." The EU has a hundred million more people than the US, and this should be translated into European self-confidence, and this self-confidence must be built on its own strength.
Regarding Trump's renewed threat to withdraw US troops from Germany, many German defense scholars and experts have recently expressed their views on the matter, believing that from strategic command, logistics supply, to military training, German military bases are deeply embedded in the US military's global operational system. A withdrawal is impractical and would not benefit the US itself. Trump had proposed this plan during his first term, but it was ultimately opposed by the US military and Congress. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150430
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lin Shangying, Berlin, 30th) The US-Iran war has triggered global economic and energy shocks. German Chancellor Merz recently publicly questioned the US's Iran strategy, drawing a backlash from US President Trump, who posted on his social media on the 29th, stating, "Merz doesn't know what he's talking about," and again threatened to withdraw US troops stationed in Germany.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pointed out at an event with students this Monday that the US's war against Iran "obviously lacks a clear strategy," and he found it difficult to judge how Washington would conclude it. These remarks, after being reported by international media, drew dissatisfaction from Donald Trump.
Yesterday, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, criticizing Merz for "not knowing what he's talking about," accusing Merz of supporting Iran's possession of nuclear weapons, and criticizing Germany's poor economic performance.
However, German media outlets including Der Spiegel and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that Merz has never made statements supporting Iranian nuclear weapons and has repeatedly stated in public that Iran will never be allowed to produce nuclear weapons.
Regarding Trump's criticism, Merz today tried to de-escalate when asked by German media if there was a rift with Trump, stating, "As far as I'm concerned, my personal relationship with the US President remains good," but also reiterated that his concerns about the war have long existed, which is why he chose to publicly state his position.
Since the outbreak of the US-Iran war, Merz's interactions with Trump have been in stark contrast to the past. When they met at the White House last year, Trump once called Merz a "great leader." In the early days of his tenure, Merz also actively communicated with Trump by phone, once pointing out that he, along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, was one of the few European leaders who could maintain trust and communication with Trump.
The New York Times analyzed that the US-Iran war has severely impacted the German economy. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to soaring fuel prices, causing the German government to significantly lower its economic growth forecast for this year, and costing Merz politically.
According to various German polls, Merz's center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and its southern German sister party (CSU) have recently fallen behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in support. The AfD has risen to become Germany's most supported party recently, and it is widely believed that this is related to recent high oil prices and widespread public dissatisfaction with the Merz-led government.
Merz, a former senior executive at an American company, has always been regarded as a staunch transatlanticist. However, in a recent interview with Der Spiegel, he said, "The transatlantic relationship is no longer what I once knew it to be." He admitted that both sides are drifting apart, with the US increasingly unwilling to unconditionally bear Europe's security responsibilities, and Europe also hoping to no longer be completely dependent on the US.
Merz also stated in the interview, "As German Chancellor, the most important contribution I can make is to maintain unity on this side of the Atlantic." The EU has a hundred million more people than the US, and this should be translated into European self-confidence, and this self-confidence must be built on its own strength.
Regarding Trump's renewed threat to withdraw US troops from Germany, many German defense scholars and experts have recently expressed their views on the matter, believing that from strategic command, logistics supply, to military training, German military bases are deeply embedded in the US military's global operational system. A withdrawal is impractical and would not benefit the US itself. Trump had proposed this plan during his first term, but it was ultimately opposed by the US military and Congress. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150430
Stand with the facts, your every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.