German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a gathering of German Catholics in Wurtzbourg
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Friday that he would advise his children to live or study in the United States in the current climate.
“Today, even the best-educated people in America have a hard time finding a job,” said Friedrich Merz, 70 years old and father of three children, speaking in front of a young audience at a Catholic gathering in the Bavarian city of Wurtzbourg.
These statements highlight tensions between the United States and their European allies under the presidency of Donald Trump. Disagreements on trade, wars in Ukraine, and now in Iran strain the NATO alliance.
Last month, the German leader had stated that the United States was humiliated in the Iran war, causing anger from Donald Trump.
In the following days, Washington announced a partial withdrawal of its troops from Germany and an increase in tariffs on European Union cars, a sector in which Germany is particularly strong.
“I would not recommend my children to go to the United States today to study and work there simply because a certain social climate has suddenly developed there,” emphasized the Chancellor.
He also believed that Germans had a tendency to see the world in terms of catastrophe. He called on them to be more optimistic about the potential of their own country.
“I firmly believe that there are few countries in the world that offer as great opportunities, especially to young people, as Germany,” he argued.
Friedrich Merz took office in 2025 presenting himself as a supporter of transatlantic relations. Since then, he has distanced himself from his powerful ally.
“I am a great admirer of America, but my admiration is not growing at this moment,” he revealed on Friday to the laughter and applause of his audience.
(Reporting by Markus Wacket and Matthias Williams; editing by Sophie Louet)
