Merz unexpectedly cancels planned call with Trump

The telephone conversation between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump planned for Wednesday, September 9, unexpectedly did not take place. A new date for the talks has not yet been set, and the German government is not disclosing the specific reason for the cancellation.

This is reported by Bild citing German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius.

According to him, the conversation between the leaders of the two countries was indeed planned, but ultimately it was cancelled. At the same time, Cornelius indicated that it was not simply a matter of scheduling conflicts.}

Bild links the situation to Trump's recent remarks about the results of the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. The American president reacted positively to the success of the right-wing populist party, without naming the "Alternative for Germany" directly, and wrote that its supporters are "on the rise". However, there is no official confirmation of a connection between this statement and the cancellation of the call.

When asked directly by journalists whether Merz's decision was related to Trump's comments, Cornelius declined to answer. Instead, he reminded of the chancellor's position: Merz has repeatedly stated that interference or comments by foreign politicians regarding the domestic political situation in Germany, especially during elections, are unacceptable to him.

Representatives of the Social Democratic Party of Germany also called for a stronger reaction from the government. The parliamentary whip of the SPD faction, Dirk Wiese, said that Berlin should directly respond to the American president's statements and not leave interference in German domestic politics unanswered.

Initially, the conversation between Merz and Trump was planned in connection with the upcoming 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. According to Cornelius, the chancellor intended to emphasize that the United States can continue to count on the solidarity of Germany and Europe and that the transatlantic partnership remains in force.

When exactly Merz and Trump will hold their next telephone conversation is not yet known.