Tilman Kuban, the Union’s (CDU/CSU) spokesperson for European politics, said there is no reason for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to alter his course after former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent criticism. Kuban reminded viewers on RTL and ntv of Merz’s latest visit to Washington, where Trump thanked him, expressed satisfaction with the support Germany was offering, and said Germany was on the right track. He pointed out that, in the wake of that visit, Germany has backed the U.S. and made military bases available to American forces. Kuban stressed that one cannot say one thing today and demand something entirely different tomorrow; he urged everyone to stay true to the agreements reached, warning that deviation would only fuel anti‑American sentiment and help Putin’s allies in Germany.