German Chancellor: The era of "unconditional" friendship between Europe and America is over

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the era of "unconditional" friendship between the United States and Europe, which had been entrenched since World War II, has ended, at least for the time being. This is the latest statement reflecting the deterioration of transatlantic relations under U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking to members of his party in Berlin, Merz said, "This era of unconditional transatlantic friendship has probably ended in the near future," adding, "On the other side of the Atlantic, we are witnessing a shift in political positions and in the assessment of the transatlantic alliance, a change we perhaps did not think possible," according to Bloomberg.

Merz was speaking at his conservative party's headquarters ahead of the Berlin state elections scheduled for Sunday. In his address, he compared current German-U.S. relations to previous visits by American presidents to the German capital, citing famous speeches by the late Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.