Germany Steps Up

May 4, 2026

The prospect of another gigantic German military in Europe is daunting to many, but it is already underway as Chancellor Friedrich Merz takes on Russia, harnesses his country’s wealth to build the continent’s biggest military, and partners with Ukraine. An investment banker who served in the military, Merz is also as characteristically German and blunt as is Trump, which is why it’s hardly surprising that the two have tangled. In a recent speech, Merz said the President had no exit strategy in Iran and was being “humiliated”. In response, Trump said he will pull 5,000 of America’s 35,000 NATO troops out of Germany, impose higher tariffs on European cars, and accused Merz of siding with Iran. “The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” wrote Trump, adding that “No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both economically and otherwise!”

Merz and Trump in the Oval Office. Time

Trump is right to be upset because allies should never pillory one another’s strategy in public, but he’s wrong about Germany’s condition. The country is a powerhouse and the third-largest economy in the world, after the U.S. and China. The leaders clashed, but, ironically, Merz aligns with Trump’s criticism of Europeans for not spending enough on their militaries and is doing something about it. However, he’s also like Trump in style. Each communicates with German bluntness, or Direktheit, a speaking style that is efficient, clear, honest, never sugar-coated, and perceived as rude by other cultures. Despite the exchange of insults, however, Merz leads Europe’s rearmament and finances the lion’s share of funding to Ukraine’s war.