Trump Rebuts German Chancellor's Iran War Critique, Stoking US-Europe Tensions
Escalating Diplomatic Disputes Between the US and Germany
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in Iran on Tuesday, a day after Merz said the Iranians were humiliating the United States in talks to end it.
Trump's Response to Merz's Comments
"The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, mischaracterizing Merz's position. Merz has said Iran must not have a nuclear weapon.
Mischaracterization of Merz's Position
Merz said on Monday that Iran's leadership was humiliatingthe United States and getting U.S. officials to travel to Pakistan and then leave without results, in an unusually pointed rebuke over the conflict.
Broader Implications for US-Europe Relations
Merz also said he did not see what exit strategy the U.S. was pursuing in the Iran war - comments that underlined deep divisions between Washington and its European NATO allies, which had already been festering over Ukraine and other issues.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Jasper Ward; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
