Trump repeats criticism of Germany, Merkel stands by stance
President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of Germany following Chancellor Angela Merkel's suggestion that her country needs to adopt a more independent stance in world affairs.
Mr. Trump posted a tweet Tuesday saying "we have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change."
Mr. Trump rattled some in Europe with his statements on NATO last week.
Following the summit, White House adviser Gary Cohn clarified a criticism Mr. Trump made about Germans, in which he reportedly described them as "bad, very bad."
"He said they're very bad on trade but he doesn't have a problem with Germany," said Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, according to the White House pool report, from Taormina, Sicily.
"He said his dad is from Germany. He said, 'I don't have a problem with Germany, I have a problem with German trade,'" Cohn added.
During a meeting with European leaders in Brussels on Thursday, the president said, "The Germans are bad, very bad," meeting participants said, according to Der Spiegel.
Merkel said Tuesday Germany's relations with the United States are of "outstanding importance" but it must engage with other key nations going forward. She also suggested in the wake of the Trump visit that Europe's relationship with Washington had shifted significantly and reiterated her position that "we in Europe have to take our fate into our own hands."
"The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days," Merkel told the crowd of some 2,500 that gathered to hear her and Bavarian governor Horst Seehofer at a campaign event last week.
