Friedrich Merz, poised to become Germany’s next chancellor, is charting an unexpected course in relations with President Trump’s administration. Unlike other European leaders rushing to curry favor with the returning American president, Mr. Merz has signaled a desire for European autonomy and independence from the United States.
“My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA,” Mr. Merz declared after his conservative coalition won Germany’s February elections. This stance represents a surprising shift for the 69-year-old former corporate lawyer, long considered one of Germany’s most pro-American political figures.
Mr. Merz’s approach stands in stark contrast to other European leaders. France’s Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Keir Starmer have already made pilgrimages to Mr. Trump’s White House, with Mr. Starmer even bringing an invitation from King Charles III for an “unprecedented” second state visit.
Despite his assertive rhetoric toward Washington, Mr. Merz secured a significant win that may please American officials, particularly Trump. German lawmakers approved loosening the nation’s strict debt limits, enabling increased defense spending – addressing a longtime American complaint about Germany failing to meet NATO’s minimum targets.
However, Mr. Merz appears intent on using this fiscal freedom not to ease tensions with the U.S. but to build European unity as a counterbalance to Trump’s policies on defense, tariffs, and international organizations. He envisions Europe as a “third cohesive, autonomous pole” alongside America and China.
Domestic politics complicate matters further. Despite the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s second-place finish, Mr. Merz has rejected coalition talks with them, citing their “neo-Nazi, antisemitic, euroskeptic views.” Instead, he’s pursuing a potentially unstable grand coalition that includes center-left and environmentalist parties.
Some analysts suggest Mr. Merz’s unconventional approach might ultimately benefit his relationship with Mr. Trump.
“Trump sizes up people very quickly, and I think he respects toughness,” noted Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. “That directness could appeal to Trump in a way that [Chancellor Olaf] Scholz and others could not.”
As Mr. Merz works to form his government by next month, he’s striking an optimistic tone with a slogan that might resonate with Mr. Trump supporters: “Germany is back!”
Read more: Germany’s leader-in-waiting takes unexpectedly tough line on Trump swerve
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