Merz, in his TV interview, referred to that remark as an “absurd statement” and advised he could select to boost the problem in a scheduled name with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Requested whether or not he would take care of Trump through the use of appeal or straight speak, Merz mentioned he would “overtly signify” German and European positions.
“Collectively, we’re even larger than the U.S.,” Merz mentioned, talking of the European Union. “The variety of shoppers right here is larger than in America and Canada mixed. So, we now have one thing to supply right here. We will do one thing. We’re united, to a big extent anyway, and that can be my message to the American authorities.”
Merz mentioned he would meet Trump in individual for the primary time on the NATO summit in The Hague in June on the newest. As a way to coordinate a typical European technique on protection forward of that assembly, Merz is traveling to both Paris and Warsaw Wednesday to satisfy his counterparts.
Throughout his marketing campaign, Merz vowed that Germany, underneath his management, would play an even bigger function on the European stage. However an embarrassing initial failure to change into chancellor on Tuesday within the Bundestag highlighted his relative political weak spot and slim parliamentary majority at residence, doubtlessly hindering his capability to comply with by way of on his marketing campaign guarantees.
