Germany’s Merz vows "independence" from Trump’s America

Friedrich Merz, a candidate for chancellor of Germany from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU), said on February 23 that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is indifferent to the fate of Europe.

Merz said that his priority is the independence of Europe from the United States.

Friedrich Merz did not even wait for the final results in Germany's election before delivering what could well be a defining verdict on U.S. President Donald Trump, consigning Europe's 80-year alliance with the United States to the past.

"The Trump administration does not care about Europe and is aligning with Russia", said Merz, who is on course to become Germany's new leader. The continent, he warned, must urgently strengthen its defenses and potentially even find a replacement for NATO — within months.