Friedrich Merz (CDU) stated at the Catholic Day in Würzburg that he would currently advise his children against staying in the USA. This statement caused a stir and was sharply criticized by Richard Grenell, the former US ambassador. Grenell referred to Merz in a post on the platform X as the ‘President of the Trump Delusion Society.’
Grenell expressed disappointment over Merz’s comments and noted that Merz had been ‘remarkably gentle and flattering’ towards Trump during his time in the White House. He criticized Merz for now advising against America under Trump and described the German leadership as lacking strategy and being influenced by ‘woke German media.’
Merz justified his statement by citing a changing social climate in the USA, which makes it difficult for even highly qualified graduates to find jobs. This assessment was also echoed by Dirk Wiese, the parliamentary manager of the SPD in the Bundestag. Wiese warned of a deterioration in German-American relations and emphasized that the USA remains a great country despite the challenges.
German-American relations are currently tense, as reflected in a phone call between Merz and Trump. Topics such as the Iran war, the Ukraine war, and NATO were discussed, as Merz shared on the platform X.
