German chancellor: Trump not my choice, yet still America’s president VIDEO

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that he aims to maintain pragmatic and “reasonable” relations with US President Donald Trump, acknowledging him as the legitimate leader of the United States despite not being his personal choice.

Addressing the annual reception of the Association of German Banks in Berlin, Merz said he is working to safeguard NATO’s future in the years ahead, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

German Chancellor Merz on Trump:

The truth is—I try to maintain a reasonable personal relationship with the American president.

Right now, we cannot defend ourselves on our own.

At the moment, only a few of us can still speak with him in a trusting way.

I have access to… pic.twitter.com/LGrfAQt6Wb

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 21, 2026

Europe is currently unable to fully guarantee its own security without the support of allies, he added.

“At present, we cannot defend ourselves independently,” the chancellor noted, adding that only a few European leaders retain a trusted communication channel with the US president.

Merz emphasised that he has direct access to Trump and that closed-door talks tend to be more constructive, although the overall situation remains challenging.

“I did not vote for him. I was not asked either. But he is the President of the United States, and the German Chancellor must try to get on reasonably well with every President of the US, and that is what I do,” he concluded.

By Jeyhun Aghazada