German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has dismissed suggestions that the US decision to reduce its military presence in Germany is linked to his differences with President Donald Trump over the Iran issue.
According to Report, Merz made these remarks in an interview with the German public broadcaster ARD.
He said that Berlin must take into account that the US president may hold a different position on a number of international issues. At the same time, the chancellor emphasised that this does not diminish the strategic importance of the US for Germany and NATO.
“I have to accept the fact that the US president views these issues differently from us. But that does not change my conviction that the US remains an important partner for us,” said Merz.
Earlier, the Chancellor had criticised Washington’s approach to the situation regarding Iran, questioning whether the Trump administration had a clear plan for resolving the Middle East crisis. In response, the US President described Merz as an “ineffective” leader.
Against this backdrop, the Pentagon announced plans to reduce the US contingent in Germany by 5,000 troops. Germany remains the largest European base for the deployment of US forces.
When asked whether this decision was linked to his public spat with Trump, Merz stated: ‘There is no connection.’
