Despite the recent cooling of relations between CDU leader Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump, the German government remains committed to the planned purchase of Tomahawk cruise missiles in the United States. According to the Transatlantic Coordinator for the German government, Metin Hakverdi, speaking to “Die Welt”, if the purchase merely involved a pricing issue, Trump would act immediately. Hakverdi reported receiving varied accounts from Washington: some suggest that the cancellation of deployment was an emotional decision by the President, while others argue that Trump uses the topic as a bargaining chip, even claiming that the stocks are depleted and production capacities are exhausted.
Hakverdi added that despite the recent tensions between Trump and Merz, Germany’s ongoing investment in its own defense capabilities is still viewed favorably in Washington. This includes the decision to deploy a minehunting boat into the Mediterranean, which could be used in the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict in Iran concludes. “It is clearly valued in Washington that we have already taken measures to move our mine-sweeping capabilities towards the southeast, within our legal space, meaning the Mediterranean. This is being closely watched by the US” Hakverdi stated.
Regarding the fallout from Trump’s strong reaction to critics-specifically Merz’s criticism-at the beginning of the month, Hakverdi reported that the incident is broadly interpreted in Washington as a personal disappointment for Trump. However, the SPD politician noted that this personal spat does little to change the fact that Germany meets, or even exceeds, critical security requirements from the US perspective. He concluded by pointing to the NATO summit slated for Ankara in early July as “the next good opportunity to point out Germany’s contribution”.
