A scheduled phone call between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.S. President Donald Trump was postponed by the German side on September 9, amid heightened political tensions following Trump’s recent comments on Germany’s domestic affairs.
German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius announced the postponement during a press conference in Berlin.
The conversation had been planned around the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. However, its postponement comes after Trump publicly commented on recent political developments in Germany.
Kornelius declined to confirm whether the decision was connected to Trump’s reaction to the election results in Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) recorded a strong performance. He also indicated that the change was not the result of scheduling difficulties for the chancellor.
The controversy centers on a post Trump published on Truth Social welcoming the AfD’s result and describing it as a “really important evening.”
Trump suggested that the party’s growing support was partly driven by public dissatisfaction with Germany’s migration policies. He also used the phrase “MGGA,” a German adaptation of his well-known “MAGA” slogan, meaning “Make Germany Great Again.”
Asked directly whether Trump’s remarks influenced the decision to postpone the call, Kornelius declined to elaborate.
The spokesman said the German government generally avoids commenting on statements made by foreign leaders. However, he reiterated Merz’s position that outside interference or commentary on Germany’s domestic political affairs should be approached with particular caution.
Merz has argued that such intervention is inappropriate and that the same principle should apply equally in the opposite direction.
Despite the postponed conversation, the German chancellor delivered a message of solidarity with the United States ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Merz said that just as the United States could rely on the full solidarity of Germany and Europe 25 years ago, Germany remains prepared to stand alongside Washington in defending the values shared by both countries.
He recalled that the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania were also viewed in Germany as an assault on common principles, including freedom and democracy.
The chancellor also emphasized the importance of maintaining strong transatlantic cooperation and continuing to defend freedom, democracy and mutual respect alongside the United States.
