US President Donald Trump sharply criticised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday over remarks on the war in Iran, accusing him of supporting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and intensifying tensions between Washington and Berlin.
In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed Merz believed “it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” adding: “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
The clash followed comments by Merz on Monday in which he accused Iran’s leadership of humiliating the United States during diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Merz questions US strategy
Merz said Tehran had repeatedly drawn US officials into fruitless talks, describing the process as a public embarrassment for Washington.
He also openly questioned the Biden administration’s—later clarified as the Trump administration’s—exit strategy in the Iran conflict, saying it was unclear what path the United States was pursuing.
The unusually blunt criticism highlighted widening fractures between Washington and its European NATO allies, where disagreements over Iran now add to existing tensions over Ukraine, defence spending, and broader security policy.
The public exchange marks one of the sharpest transatlantic clashes in recent months, with Europe increasingly uneasy over US decision-making in multiple global flashpoints.
