CDU politician Friedrich Merz announced on X/Twitter on Friday that he had held a “good phone call” with US President Donald Trump, noting that the conversation took place while Trump was returning from China. During the call, Merz highlighted several points of agreement with Trump.
Merz stated that the two men agreed that Iran must now approach the negotiating table, that the Strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened, and that Tehran must not possess nuclear weapons. They also discussed finding a peaceful resolution for Ukraine and coordinated their views ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara. Merz concluded by emphasizing that “the USA and Germany are strong partners in a strong NATO”.
This highly publicized call comes after a period of significant tension between the two men. The strain began after Merz criticized the U.S. strategy concerning the Iran conflict during a school event. Trump reacted swiftly to the commentary, criticizing the German politician and threatening the withdrawal of several thousand American troops from Germany.