German Chancellor Angela Merkel took at shot at President Trump’s leadership, saying Europe could not longer “rely on the superpower of the United States.”
Merkel said Germany’s relationship with the U.S. is “crucial” and vowed to work on the partnership between the two countries despite negative attacks from Trump, Reuters reported Friday.
“One can say that the values, or our usual framework, are under strong pressure at the moment,” she said of her relationship with Trump at a press conference, according to Reuters.
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“However, the transatlantic working relationship, including with the U.S. president, is crucial for us and I will carry on cultivating it,” Merkel added.
Trump’s “America First” plan has included tariffs on German imports, including luxury cars.
Merkel called Trump’s auto tariffs “a real threat to the prosperity of many in the world,” Reuters reported.
During a testy NATO summit earlier this month, Trump also railed against Merkel for supporting a gas pipeline with Russia.
Merkel and Trump have been at odds since his 2016 campaign. After the inauguration, Trump wouldn’t shake her hand during a photo-op in her first trip to Washington.
Merkel, who had a strong relationship with former President Obama, has expressed disappointment over the current relationship with the U.S. before.
After Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal in May, Merkel said Europe could no longer count on the U.S. to protect it and urged the continent to “take destiny into its own hands.”
Merkel said she could no longer “completely depend” on the U.S. as a reliable partner after the Group of Seven summit later that same month.