Newly Elected German Chancellor Vows ‘Real Independence’ From ‘Indifferent’ US
Germany’s newly elected chancellor Friedrich Merz called for Europe to seek “independence from the USA” and lashed out at what he described as “ultimately outrageous” rhetoric coming from President Donald Trump and his administration.
In a speech Sunday night, the conservative CDU leader’s speech marked a further pivot in transatlantic relations as Merz prepares to form a coalition government in the wake of Germany’s election.
Merz’s conservative bloc secured first place with 28.6 percent of the vote, but the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic second place, leaving Germany’s political landscape more polarized than ever.
“For me, the absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that we can achieve real independence from the USA step by step,” Merz declared.
Continuing, he specifically cited Trump’s recent comments: “I never thought I would have to say something like this on a television program. But after Donald Trump’s statements last week at the latest, it is clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.”
Merz also cast doubt on the longevity of NATO, raising questions about whether the alliance would even exist in its current form by the time leaders gather for the upcoming summit in June.
“I am very curious to see how we are heading toward the NATO summit at the end of June,” he said. “Whether we will still be talking about NATO in its current form or whether we will have to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly.”
His remarks underscore deepening transatlantic tensions as Trump’s ‘America First’ doctrine continues to rattle European leaders.
Adding further volatility, Germany’s political upheaval has propelled AfD to an unprecedented second-place finish with 20.8% of the vote. The far-right party remains politically isolated—mainstream parties refuse to work with it, and Germany’s intelligence services monitor it for extremism. But that hasn’t stopped high-profile figures in the U.S., including billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk, from voicing support for the party.
