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The Chancellor's attempt to stabilize transatlantic relations comes after a public debate over the war in Iran.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sought on Wednesday to ease tensions with US President Donald Trump, insisting their relationship remains strong despite a bitter public clash over the Iran war.
“The personal relationship between the American president and me remains, in my opinion, as good as ever,” Merz said at a press conference. “We are still, to put it in American English, in good communication relations.”
The chancellor framed his latest criticism of the Middle East conflict as a reaction to the consequences of the war, not Trump's leadership. "We are suffering significantly in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of ... the closure of the Strait of Hormuz," he said, highlighting rising energy costs and economic pressure.
The conciliatory tone follows a direct attack from Trump late Tuesday. “German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thinks it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons,” the US president wrote on Truth Social, adding “he doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
Trump warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would hold "the whole world ... hostage," before turning to the German economy: "No wonder Germany is doing so badly, both economically and in other areas!"
Merz's attempt to stabilize the relationship comes after he had hardened his stance towards Washington.
When the war began on February 28, the chancellor generally supported US objectives, but as the conflict dragged on, his tone became more critical.
On Monday, during a visit to a school in western Germany, he said the US was being "humiliated" by Iran and had entered the war without a viable exit strategy, comparing the situation to previous problems in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Merz also stressed that the conflict is hurting the German economy, saying it is "costing us a lot of money."
Berlin has also reacted on the operational front. Germany has rejected US calls for transatlantic military involvement, insisting that the conflict is “not a NATO war,” and has offered only a limited role, including minesweeping ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz once the fighting ends.
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