According to US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merk (CDU) has spoken with him about “some very large trade agreements”. “These are now being worked out” Trump said at a traditional press briefing in the Oval Office on Tuesday, in the presence of the chancellor, though he supplied no further details.
Trump added that Merz has now become a friend and that trade relations with Germany are “great”. “We have been able to close good deals” he said.
During the brief speech, the chancellor assured the president that the United States would be supported in its actions against Iran.
The press conference later focused mainly on the situation in Iran. Trump said, “I thought they would strike first, and I didn’t want that to happen”. He added that almost the entire Iranian military has been neutralized, noting that the country still has a few rockets left.
Trump also criticized NATO partner Spain. He said that Spain not only refuses to invest five percent of its GDP in defense but also would forbid the United States from launching attacks on Iran from its territory. “We will terminate all trade relations with Spain” he declared in the Oval Office.
When asked about his expectations for Germany, Trump was satisfied. He said Germany allows US aircraft to operate and land there and that “we do not expect Germany to send soldiers”. He expressed great hope in Germany, especially with the new chancellor, contrasting Merz with Angela Merkel, whose immigration policy Trump again criticized.
Asked once more by journalists how he plans to resolve the tariff dispute with the EU, Trump spoke confidently and seemed to see little need for further action. “We have won” he said. “The tariffs have already made the United States wealthy”.
