Berlin (AFP) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday he would not advise young people in his country to move to the United States for study or work, in the latest sign of cooling ties between Berlin and Washington.
Issued on: 15/05/2026 - 13:34
Last month Merz had a high-profile spat with US President Donald Trump after the chancellor said Iran was "humiliating" Washington at the negotiating table.
Following the comment, Trump -- who suggested Merz was doing a "terrible" job as leader -- abruptly announced that the United States would pull 5,000 troops from bases in Germany.
At a gathering of German Catholics in the southern city of Wuerzburg on Friday, Merz garnered applause after saying: "I would not recommend to my children today that they go to the US to get an education and to work."
