Trump congratulates Merkel on electoral win

by Julia Manchester - 09/28/17 7:47 PM ET

President Trump congratulated German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday for her recent electoral win and the formation of her fourth government.

The president stressed the alliance between the U.S. and Germany during the call and the United States’ “commitment to our longstanding, strong alliance with the German government and the German people,” according to a readout of the conversation from the White House.

The two leaders also addressed the multilateral Iran nuclear deal, as well as the growing nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

{mosads}Trump has slammed the Iran deal in recent days, going as far as calling the agreement an “embarrassment” to the U.S. on the floor of the United Nations earlier this month.

The president had mulled whether he would remove the U.S. from the deal, which was negotiated during the Obama administration.

Trump has until Oct. 15 to notify Congress on whether Iran has complied with the provisions of 2015 deal, which provided sanctions relief in exchange for limitations on Iran’s nuclear program.

Congress will have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran if Trump chooses not recertify the country’s compliance.

However, European leaders, including Merkel, have expressed support for the 2015 deal.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that Germany would work with allies in the European Union, Britain, China and Russia to persuade Trump to preserve the agreement.

The call took place nearly four days after Merkel won the election, which was held Sunday. Merkel sent Trump a congratulations on Nov. 9, just a day after he won the presidency.

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