Donald Trump has lashed out at German chancellor Friedrich Merz over his criticisms of the US handling of its ongoing war with Iran.
Earlier this week Mr Merz said the US had been “humiliated” by Iran, with Washington and Tehran struggling to come to an agreement on how to bring about a permanent end to the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible,” he said, adding that the Iranians are “obviously very skilled at negotiating”.
In a scathing Truth Social post in response, Trump said: “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!
“If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I am doing something with Iran, right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago. No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise,” he added.
It is only the latest in a series of attacks the US president has launched across the Atlantic, as US-European relations are under strain following the refusal of several Nato countries to enthusiastically join the US war on Iran.
Despite developing a reputation in Europe last year as a so-called ‘Trump-whisperer’, Sir Keir Starmer was one of the first victims of several vicious tirades by Trump.
In March, the US president said he was “not happy with the UK” and described Sir Keir as “no Winston Churchill”.
In later comments, he said: “I said ‘You don’t want to do it? We’ve been with you. You’re our oldest ally and we spend a lot of money on NATO and all of these things to protect you’. I think it’s terrible. I was very surprised.”
Trump’s dismay at Sir Keir predated the Iran war, launching an unprovoked attack on the UK government’s deal to hand over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Sir Keir was giving the archipelago away “FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER” in an “act of GREAT STUPIDITY”, he wrote in a furious social media tirade.
While the US-UK relationship is still salvageable – as the president himself said was “absolutely” the case ahead of a visit by the King to Washington – Trump’s relationship with Spain may be beyond repair.
“Spain has been terrible,” the US president said during a meeting with Mr Merz in early March, days after the US-Israeli war on Iran was launched.
“We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”
He said the country had been a “terrible partner” in Nato for failing to boost its defence budget in line with the target of 5 per cent of GDP set by the military alliance.
In a 10-minute address rebuking Trump’s comments, the Spanish prime minister reiterated his opposition to war and what he called the “breakdown of international law”, declaring that his government’s position could be summed up as “no to war”.
Spain, he said, would “not be complicit in something that is bad for the world – and that is also contrary to our values and interests – simply out of fear of reprisals from someone”.
Responding to Trump’s threat against Madrid, the Elysee Palace said French president Emmanuel Macron had offered his “solidarity” with Spain during a phone call with Mr Sanchez.
This came with the risk of further damage to the relationship between Paris and Washington, which has been strained ever since Trump reassumed the presidency in January 2025.
The US president took a personal aim at his French counterpart earlier this year, when he referenced a video in which Mr Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron, shoves the French politician as they leave their plan in Vietnam.
Expressing his frustration over the lack of support for the Iran war, he said: “We didn’t need them, but I asked anyway.
“I call up France, Macron – whose wife treats him extremely badly… Still recovering from the right to the jaw.”
Mr Macron criticised the remarks as “neither elegant nor up to standard”.
This was only the latest in a series of tense exchanges between the two, including one in which Trump said “Emmanuel always gets it wrong” and accused him of being “publicity-seeking”.
