President Trump swiped back at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday after the European leader said Iranian negotiators were humiliating the U.S.
Mr. Trump, who hosted a cordial White House visit with Mr. Merz shortly after the war began, suggested the chancellor was “OK” with Iran having a nuclear weapon and did not understand the stakes around the conflict.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Mr. Trump unloaded on his European counterpart after Mr. Merz, speaking to German students on Monday, said the Iranian side was “obviously very skilled at negotiating.
“Or, rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result. 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.”
European and Asian allies are no fans of the regime in Tehran. But they’re pressing the U.S. and Israel to wind down their military operation against Iran because of oil shortfalls and other economic shocks from the war.
Mr. Trump says allies have fallen short in confronting Iran and its nuclear ambitions. He says the U.S. is stepping up to thwart the regime and that the rest of the world should follow suit.
“If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage,” Mr. Trump wrote. “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!”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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