{"id":1804891,"date":"2026-03-03T14:38:53","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T11:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1804891"},"modified":"2026-03-03T14:38:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T11:38:53","slug":"us-israel-strikes-on-iran-obviously-not-legal-lawyer-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1804891","title":{"rendered":"US-Israel strikes on Iran &#8216;obviously not legal,&#8217; lawyer says"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76204706_6.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"s1sfzv1a sk6xmai\">\n<div class=\"content-area sa7l9jt s9mg977\">\n<section data-tracking-name=\"sharing-icons-inline\" class=\"c75t7t0 hh5424a in-line closed\">\n<div class=\"copy-button-wrapper closed\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59j4s<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"s4bcs45\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76204706_800.webp 50w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76204706_801.webp 129w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76204706_802.webp 352w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76204706_803.webp 575w\" media=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 575px)\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" \/><figcaption class=\"c1oedowi lofg86o m4xla6a s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Merz met with Trump in the White House for the second time as chancellor<small class=\"copyright c19ed66t ihwmx5 idu7i8u lxmvniw icns9en rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Image: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds\/AFP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-live-blog-rich-text-overview\" id=\"live-blog-rich-text-overview\" class=\"c1800ln sq3xutt atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-live-blog-rich-text-overview\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section What you need to know<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"c2fyhwl ctymiyf content-block i1if36d6 i1ytahzz\">\n<h2 class=\"cp7bjxx h1du6kc5 lt5vbch pohyj9x s16w0xvi m1u0isv1 b1fzgn0z\">What you need to know<\/h2>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<ul>\n<li>Chancellor <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/friedrich-merz\/t-60575802\">Friedrich Merz<\/a> arrived in Washington, DC on Monday evening<\/li>\n<li>Merz met with US President <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-president-donald-trump-russia-ukraine-israel-gaza-tariffs-trade-war\/t-19434433\">Donald Trump<\/a> for bilateral talks in the Oval Office<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Trump and Merz discussed tariffs and unity regarding Iran and Ukraine<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>It was the roundup of the latest updates from <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/friedrich-merz\/t-60575802\">Friedrich Merz<\/a>&#8216;s visit to Washington on Tuesday, March 3. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This blog is now closed.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"s1ogwy7c ev9ivjh\">\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76205877\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76205877\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Merz to head back home<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Merz to head back home<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Following his meeting with Trump, the German chancellor is set to fly back to Germany.<\/p>\n<p>With that, we will be closing this blog.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for following along, and don&#8217;t forget to check out our other blogs for more coverage on <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-opposition-slams-gulf-evacuation-strategy\/live-76194214\">German politics<\/a> and the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/irans-supreme-leader-khamenei-is-dead-state-media-confirms\/live-76161011\">war in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kd3<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76205870\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76205870\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Trump dominates meeting, Merz drives key points home<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Trump dominates meeting, Merz drives key points home<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76205148\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76205148_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on March 3, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">While Trump dominated the conversation, Merz fared better than some other world leaders who have been welcomed into the Oval Office under Trump<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Samuel Corum\/ABACAPRESS\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Merz and Trump spoke to the press for around 35 minutes in the Oval Office.<\/p>\n<p>However, the breakdown of the time that each spoke showed just how one-sided the bilateral talks were.<\/p>\n<p>According to the dpa news agency, Trump took up the vast majority of the time, speaking for at least 30 minutes and often repeating himself.<\/p>\n<p>Merz spoke for just three minutes, even when some of the questions from the press were directed at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite the unbalance, Merz was able to use his limited time to highlight the issues at\u00a0the top of his agenda.<\/p>\n<p>And as a result, Trump declared Merz to be a &#8220;friend.&#8221; It remains to be seen how well his Oval Office appearance played at home, but it likely won&#8217;t be too different from his previous meeting with Trump in the White House, where Merz also only spoke for a total of three minutes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kcw<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76205815\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76205815\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Trump responds to DW question about European support for war against Iran<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Trump responds to DW question about European support for war against Iran<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>DW&#8217;s chief political editor Michaela Kuefner managed to get in a question to Trump and Merz about how much European nations have supported the US in its war against Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump responded by saying some European countries, such as Germany, have been helpful, but others, such as Spain have not.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what else he had to say:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kc3<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76205705\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76205705\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Merz tells Trump Ukraine must &#8216;preserve its territory&#8217;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Merz tells Trump Ukraine must &#8216;preserve its territory&#8217;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>During his press conference with Trump, Merz appeared to be seeking to show he was on the side of the US president while gently pushing him on certain issues.<\/p>\n<p>One was to consider what will happen in the Middle East in the medium- to long-term. The other was Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We all want to see this war coming to an end as soon as possible,&#8221; Merz said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But Ukraine has to preserve its territory and their security interests and well, we will talk about that,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p>A previous ceasefire proposal coming from the White House had offered up Ukrainian land to Russia, including land that was not under Russian control. This had sparked a heated response from European partners at the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kaH<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76204937\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76204937\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Merz and Trump talk unity on Iran and Ukraine<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Merz and Trump talk unity on Iran and Ukraine<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Merz was clearly trying to push Trump to discuss long-term plans for Iran, saying: &#8220;We have to strategize on this entire region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He stressed the importance of a &#8220;common approach&#8221; that includes the security for the US, Europe and Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Asked about Ukraine, Trump said it was &#8220;very high&#8221; on his priority list, but admitted he&#8217;d been surprised at how difficult it has been to find a solution to end the war.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I thought it was going to be one of the easier ones,&#8221; he told reporters before repeating the false claim that he has already settled eight wars in his second term.<\/p>\n<p>As for how the ceasefire process was going between Ukraine and Russia, Trump said:\u00a0&#8220;Sometimes I blame one, sometimes I blame the other one,&#8221; but was adamant a deal was going to happen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kNt<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76204917\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76204917\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Trump calls Merz a &#8216;friend&#8217;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Trump calls Merz a &#8216;friend&#8217;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Despite no clear offering of an improvement on US tariffs, one of the major goals of the Merz trip, Trump said his German counterpart was &#8220;doing a very good job &#8230; a really great job.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He went on to call the chancellor a\u00a0&#8220;very, very successful man&#8221; and a &#8220;friend.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The US president said the US and Germany were getting along well, but he didn&#8217;t have such kind words for the UK or Spain, which he called &#8220;uncooperative.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>With the UK, he complained about the decision to not let the US use its bases to attack Iran. He also criticized UK policies on energy and immigration, making several unsubstantiated claims.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kNZ<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76204887\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76204887\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Trump talks tariffs with Merz in Oval Office<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Trump talks tariffs with Merz in Oval Office<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>&#8220;Tariffs have made our country very rich,&#8221; Trump said in response to a question about how he would resolve the conflict between the US and the EU on trade.<\/p>\n<p>He went on to joke\u00a0about hitting Germany &#8220;very, very hard&#8221; with tariffs, before giving Merz a slap on the leg.<\/p>\n<p>After discussing the decision of the Supreme Court that shot down his previous tariffs which he said actually reaffirmed his ability to impose tariffs, Trump went on to say he would cut trade with Spain, the one EU country that openly opposed the attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Spain \u200chas been terrible,&#8221; Trump \u200ctold \u200breporters during the meeting, adding \u200bthat he had told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent \u2060to &#8220;cut \u200boff all dealings&#8221; \u200bwith Spain.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to \u200bcut off \u200call trade with Spain. We \u200bdon&#8217;t \u2060want anything to do with Spain,&#8221; \u2060he \u200badded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kN5<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76204879\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76204879\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Merz hoping for a quick end to the war in Iran<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Merz hoping for a quick end to the war in Iran<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Following long-winding remarks from Trump about his purported successes, Merz spoke of his hope for a quick end to the war.<\/p>\n<p>The rising price of gas and oil since Saturday&#8217;s attacks &#8220;is of course damaging our economies,&#8221; Merz said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible and we are hoping that the Israeli and the American armies are doing the right things to bring this to an end,&#8221; he added, expressing hope for a &#8220;new government&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump predicted\u00a0that after the war oil prices would drop, &#8220;I believe lower even than before.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As for what could happen &#8220;the day after,&#8221; Trump had less to say.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who&#8217;s as bad as the previous person, right?&#8221; he told reporters.\u00a0&#8220;That could happen. We don&#8217;t want that to happen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Lots of the people we had in mind are dead,&#8221; he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As for <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/irans-exiled-crown-prince-asks-europes-help-to-end-regime\/a-75544196\">Reza Pahlavi<\/a>, the son of the former shah\u00a0who was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, Trump said:\u00a0&#8220;I&#8217;ve said that he looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody that&#8217;s there that&#8217;s currently popular, if there&#8217;s such a person, but we have people like that.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kMx<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76204762\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76204762\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Trump claims to have &#8216;knocked out&#8217; Iran&#8217;s military capabilities<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Trump claims to have &#8216;knocked out&#8217; Iran&#8217;s military capabilities<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>The US president spent much of his time in front of the cameras with his German counterpart talking about the\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">US-Israeli attacks on Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if Israel had pushed the US to start the attack, Trump said that he had decided to go ahead with the assault based on the &#8220;way negotiations were going&#8221; with Iran and that he &#8220;had a feeling&#8221; Iran was about to launch its own attack.<\/p>\n<p>He said that the first few days of the war had knocked out much of Iran&#8217;s military capabilities,\u00a0&#8220;just about everything has been knocked out,&#8221; he told the press.<\/p>\n<p>While Iran has continued to fire rockets, including at its Arab neighbors, Trump predicted they couldn&#8217;t last much longer.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;ve shot a \u2060lot \u200bof them, and we&#8217;re knocking out a lot,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kL4<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76204554\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76204554\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Merz meets with Trump in White House<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Merz meets with Trump in White House<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Merz thanked Trump for his invitation to the White House &#8220;for the third time&#8221; as he met with the US president.<\/p>\n<p>Trump said it was a great honor to receive Merz &#8220;in this beautiful Oval Office.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The chancellor told his counterpart &#8220;we are on the same page in terms of getting rid of the regime in Tehran&#8221; but added that they would have to talk about &#8220;the day after.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He also said the two would talk about the trade agreements with the US and as well about the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">war in Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59kHi<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76203387\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76203387\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section SPD, Greens call on Merz to push Trump on Iran<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">SPD, Greens call on Merz to push Trump on Iran<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Questions have emerged among German political parties over the US attacks on Iran ahead of Merz&#8217;s meeting with Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Matthias Miersch, the general secretary of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/social-democratic-party-spd\/t-17437818\">center-left SPD<\/a> that rules in a coalition with Merz&#8217;s own Union, said that the meeting offered an opportunity to ask Trump about the US &#8220;strategy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For us it&#8217;s clear that, according to everything we know, at the moment, international law is not being abided by,&#8221; Miersch said. &#8220;And that must be stated, especially for states that are dependent on the continued existence of the international order.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The SPD chief added that &#8220;no tears are being shed for the regime&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>The opposition <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germanys-green-party\/t-17365878\">Greens<\/a> also called for Merz to request an explanation from\u00a0Trump on his strategy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What is the strategy now? What does the future hold for the people in the Middle East?&#8221;\u00a0Green parliamentary leader Britta Hasselmann said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We as Europeans must make it clear to the Trump administration that it is in our interest to stand together in the international community for a rules-based order for the rule of law, for democracy and also for international law for the future,&#8221; Hasselmann said, adding that the US-Israeli attack on Saturday had\u00a0&#8220;no mandate under international law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 US-Israel strikes on Iran 'obviously not legal,' lawyer says\" class=\"headline\">US-Israel strikes on Iran &#8216;obviously not legal,&#8217; lawyer says<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76189217\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76189217\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/stills\/images\/je\/je20260302_GissouNia_image_512x288_3.jpg\" data-duration=\"04:24\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20260302_GissouNia_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59jyt<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76202895\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76202895\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Merz reportedly meets with business heads in Washington<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Merz reportedly meets with business heads in Washington<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Merz reportedly met with business representatives for a working breakfast in Washington, according to the AFP news agency, which\u00a0cited government sources.<\/p>\n<p>Both German and US companies were represented in the morning meeting. Among these were representatives from <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bayerische-motorenwerke-bmw\/t-17449037\">BMW<\/a>, T-mobile, Boehringer Ingelheim, Honeywell and Boston Consulting Group.<\/p>\n<p>The head of Lockheed Martin also joined the breakfast. Germany has ordered 35 F-35 fighter jets from the\u00a0US defense giant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59jqx<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76201114\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76201114\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section What has Merz said about the war in Iran?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">What has Merz said about the war in Iran?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Friedrich Merz made his first public remarks on the US-Israeli attack on Iran on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>In a brief statement, he warned that the strikes carried significant risks, but he declined to call out violations of international law.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what Merz had to say:<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Military strikes on Iran 'not without risk': Chancellor Merz\" class=\"headline\">Military strikes on Iran &#8216;not without risk&#8217;: Chancellor Merz<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76200332\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76200332\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76176790_605.webp\" data-duration=\"00:45\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260303_MerzforRina_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59jOE<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76200785\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76200785\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section What has changed since Merz&#8217;s last visit to Washington?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">What has changed since Merz&#8217;s last visit to Washington?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Friedrich Merz visited Donald Trump in the White House for the first time in June of last year.<\/p>\n<p>While the chancellor said after the meeting that he was &#8220;extremely satisfied&#8221; with how they went, the talking points have, in many ways, not changed. The obvious exception is the war against Iran that broke out on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n<p>But <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-tariffs\/t-71496505\">Trump&#8217;s tariff<\/a> policies are once again on the docket despite the US and EU coming to an agreement last year. After the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-tariffs-eu-grapples-with-fallout-of-us-court-ruling\/a-76070061\">Supreme Court declared the tariffs illegal<\/a>, Trump responded by declaring a new flat rate of 15% tariffs on all trading partners. As such, the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/eu-freezes-us-trade-deal-after-supreme-court-tariff-ruling\/a-76095257\">EU has paused its ratification of the agreement<\/a> as it waits to see what will happen with the new tariffs.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">war in Ukraine<\/a>, now <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russia-ukraine-war-drones-starlink-evacuations-front-line-changes-since-2022\/a-76096050\">going on for more than four years<\/a>, also remains a key yet unresolved issue. Trump has been much less supportive of Ukraine in comparison to his predecessor and to his European allies. Attempts to work out a peace agreement with Russia have proved fruitless, even as\u00a0early versions of the agreement\u00a0looked ready to concede\u00a0swathes of land to Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Another issue that gained\u00a0prominence since their last meeting is the question of <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/greenland\/t-71244495\">Greenland<\/a>, which Trump has repeatedly, since his first term, said he wants to acquire for the US as a matter of security. This brought <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-europe-relations\/t-71768586\">US-European relations<\/a> to <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/wef-davos-trump-european-union-greenland-trade-tariffs-nato\/a-75584471\">their lowest point<\/a>, with some NATO members asking whether they would be called to war against the US should it attempt to take the\u00a0semiautonomous Danish territory\u00a0by force.<\/p>\n<p>However, it remains to be seen whether Merz will bring up this thorny issue in his meeting with Trump. The talks have been scheduled to last for thirty minutes but will likely spill over.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Trump and Merz strike friendly tone at White House meeting\" class=\"headline\">Trump and Merz strike friendly tone at White House meeting<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-72809945\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"72809945\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/72809320_605.webp\" data-duration=\"02:36\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20250606_MERZTRUMP23Dx_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59jIv<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76200286\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914#post-liveblog-post-76200286\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section What to expect from Merz&#8217;s meeting with Trump<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">03\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">March 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">What to expect from Merz&#8217;s meeting with Trump<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"73412143\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/73412143_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"United States President Donald Trump greets the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Friedrich Merz as he arrives at the White House in Washington, DC on June 5, 2025\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Chancellor Friedrich Merz&#8217;s inaugural visit to the White House was seen as a success back home<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Celal Gunes\/Anadolu Agency\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It is a trip that had been planned for a long time, but\u00a0under very different circumstances: the chancellor will now meet with Trump\u00a0amid an\u00a0escalating conflict in Iran\u00a0and the Middle East. Merz had\u00a0a range of issues with him that have been turned upside down by current events.<\/p>\n<p>Merz responded to the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Sunday by condemning Iran but has been cautious to express support for the attacks amid questions over their legality.<\/p>\n<p>Read <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran-war-german-chancellor-trump-talks-israel\/a-76155670\">DW&#8217;s full report on how the war changes Merz&#8217;s plans in DC and what else to expect.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>While you&#8217;re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59jAs<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"bp605kw center\">\n<div role=\"button\" data-tracking-name=\"show-more\" class=\"show-more-button s1va3u11 t1y9040i m7i2pic e3w9kkf b19vsmfu cx4rgdt ih9bob8 sngcpkw w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Show more posts<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<ul>\n<li>Chancellor <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/friedrich-merz\/t-60575802\">Friedrich Merz<\/a> arrived in Washington, DC on Monday evening<\/li>\n<li>Merz met with US President <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-president-donald-trump-russia-ukraine-israel-gaza-tariffs-trade-war\/t-19434433\">Donald Trump<\/a> for bilateral talks in the Oval Office<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Trump and Merz discussed tariffs and unity regarding Iran and Ukraine<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>It was the roundup of the latest updates from <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/friedrich-merz\/t-60575802\">Friedrich Merz<\/a>&#8216;s visit to Washington on Tuesday, March 3. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This blog is now closed.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Trump and Merz discussed tariffs and unity regarding Iran and Ukraine<\/p>\n<p><em>It was the roundup of the latest updates from <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/friedrich-merz\/t-60575802\">Friedrich Merz<\/a>&#8216;s visit to Washington on Tuesday, March 3. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This blog is now closed.<\/em><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Following his meeting with Trump, the German chancellor is set to fly back to Germany.<\/p>\n<p>With that, we will be closing this blog.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for following along, and don&#8217;t forget to check out our other blogs for more coverage on <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-opposition-slams-gulf-evacuation-strategy\/live-76194214\">German politics<\/a> and the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/irans-supreme-leader-khamenei-is-dead-state-media-confirms\/live-76161011\">war in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Following his meeting with Trump, the German chancellor is set to fly back to Germany.<\/p>\n<p>With that, we will be closing this blog.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for following along, and don&#8217;t forget to check out our other blogs for more coverage on <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-opposition-slams-gulf-evacuation-strategy\/live-76194214\">German politics<\/a> and the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/irans-supreme-leader-khamenei-is-dead-state-media-confirms\/live-76161011\">war in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76205148\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76205148_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on March 3, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">While Trump dominated the conversation, Merz fared better than some other world leaders who have been welcomed into the Oval Office under Trump<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Samuel Corum\/ABACAPRESS\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Merz and Trump spoke to the press for around 35 minutes in the Oval Office.<\/p>\n<p>However, the breakdown of the time that each spoke showed just how one-sided the bilateral talks were.<\/p>\n<p>According to the dpa news agency, Trump took up the vast majority of the time, speaking for at least 30 minutes and often repeating himself.<\/p>\n<p>Merz spoke for just three minutes, even when some of the questions from the press were directed at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite the unbalance, Merz was able to use his limited time to highlight the issues at\u00a0the top of his agenda.<\/p>\n<p>And as a result, Trump declared Merz to be a &#8220;friend.&#8221; It remains to be seen how well his Oval Office appearance played at home, but it likely won&#8217;t be too different from his previous meeting with Trump in the White House, where Merz also only spoke for a total of three minutes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Merz and Trump spoke to the press for around 35 minutes in the Oval Office.<\/p>\n<p>However, the breakdown of the time that each spoke showed just how one-sided the bilateral talks were.<\/p>\n<p>According to the dpa news agency, Trump took up the vast majority of the time, speaking for at least 30 minutes and often repeating himself.<\/p>\n<p>Merz spoke for just three minutes, even when some of the questions from the press were directed at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite the unbalance, Merz was able to use his limited time to highlight the issues at\u00a0the top of his agenda.<\/p>\n<p>And as a result, Trump declared Merz to be a &#8220;friend.&#8221; It remains to be seen how well his Oval Office appearance played at home, but it likely won&#8217;t be too different from his previous meeting with Trump in the White House, where Merz also only spoke for a total of three minutes.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>DW&#8217;s chief political editor Michaela Kuefner managed to get in a question to Trump and Merz about how much European nations have supported the US in its war against Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump responded by saying some European countries, such as Germany, have been helpful, but others, such as Spain have not.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what else he had to say:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>DW&#8217;s chief political editor Michaela Kuefner managed to get in a question to Trump and Merz about how much European nations have supported the US in its war against Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump responded by saying some European countries, such as Germany, have been helpful, but others, such as Spain have not.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what else he had to say:<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>During his press conference with Trump, Merz appeared to be seeking to show he was on the side of the US president while gently pushing him on certain issues.<\/p>\n<p>One was to consider what will happen in the Middle East in the medium- to long-term. The other was Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We all want to see this war coming to an end as soon as possible,&#8221; Merz said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But Ukraine has to preserve its territory and their security interests and well, we will talk about that,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p>A previous ceasefire proposal coming from the White House had offered up Ukrainian land to Russia, including land that was not under Russian control. This had sparked a heated response from European partners at the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>During his press conference with Trump, Merz appeared to be seeking to show he was on the side of the US president while gently pushing him on certain issues.<\/p>\n<p>One was to consider what will happen in the Middle East in the medium- to long-term. The other was Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We all want to see this war coming to an end as soon as possible,&#8221; Merz said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But Ukraine has to preserve its territory and their security interests and well, we will talk about that,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p>A previous ceasefire proposal coming from the White House had offered up Ukrainian land to Russia, including land that was not under Russian control. This had sparked a heated response from European partners at the time.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Merz was clearly trying to push Trump to discuss long-term plans for Iran, saying: &#8220;We have to strategize on this entire region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He stressed the importance of a &#8220;common approach&#8221; that includes the security for the US, Europe and Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Asked about Ukraine, Trump said it was &#8220;very high&#8221; on his priority list, but admitted he&#8217;d been surprised at how difficult it has been to find a solution to end the war.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I thought it was going to be one of the easier ones,&#8221; he told reporters before repeating the false claim that he has already settled eight wars in his second term.<\/p>\n<p>As for how the ceasefire process was going between Ukraine and Russia, Trump said:\u00a0&#8220;Sometimes I blame one, sometimes I blame the other one,&#8221; but was adamant a deal was going to happen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Merz was clearly trying to push Trump to discuss long-term plans for Iran, saying: &#8220;We have to strategize on this entire region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He stressed the importance of a &#8220;common approach&#8221; that includes the security for the US, Europe and Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Asked about Ukraine, Trump said it was &#8220;very high&#8221; on his priority list, but admitted he&#8217;d been surprised at how difficult it has been to find a solution to end the war.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I thought it was going to be one of the easier ones,&#8221; he told reporters before repeating the false claim that he has already settled eight wars in his second term.<\/p>\n<p>As for how the ceasefire process was going between Ukraine and Russia, Trump said:\u00a0&#8220;Sometimes I blame one, sometimes I blame the other one,&#8221; but was adamant a deal was going to happen.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Despite no clear offering of an improvement on US tariffs, one of the major goals of the Merz trip, Trump said his German counterpart was &#8220;doing a very good job &#8230; a really great job.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He went on to call the chancellor a\u00a0&#8220;very, very successful man&#8221; and a &#8220;friend.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The US president said the US and Germany were getting along well, but he didn&#8217;t have such kind words for the UK or Spain, which he called &#8220;uncooperative.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>With the UK, he complained about the decision to not let the US use its bases to attack Iran. He also criticized UK policies on energy and immigration, making several unsubstantiated claims.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Despite no clear offering of an improvement on US tariffs, one of the major goals of the Merz trip, Trump said his German counterpart was &#8220;doing a very good job &#8230; a really great job.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He went on to call the chancellor a\u00a0&#8220;very, very successful man&#8221; and a &#8220;friend.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The US president said the US and Germany were getting along well, but he didn&#8217;t have such kind words for the UK or Spain, which he called &#8220;uncooperative.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>With the UK, he complained about the decision to not let the US use its bases to attack Iran. He also criticized UK policies on energy and immigration, making several unsubstantiated claims.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>&#8220;Tariffs have made our country very rich,&#8221; Trump said in response to a question about how he would resolve the conflict between the US and the EU on trade.<\/p>\n<p>He went on to joke\u00a0about hitting Germany &#8220;very, very hard&#8221; with tariffs, before giving Merz a slap on the leg.<\/p>\n<p>After discussing the decision of the Supreme Court that shot down his previous tariffs which he said actually reaffirmed his ability to impose tariffs, Trump went on to say he would cut trade with Spain, the one EU country that openly opposed the attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Spain \u200chas been terrible,&#8221; Trump \u200ctold \u200breporters during the meeting, adding \u200bthat he had told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent \u2060to &#8220;cut \u200boff all dealings&#8221; \u200bwith Spain.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to \u200bcut off \u200call trade with Spain. We \u200bdon&#8217;t \u2060want anything to do with Spain,&#8221; \u2060he \u200badded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Tariffs have made our country very rich,&#8221; Trump said in response to a question about how he would resolve the conflict between the US and the EU on trade.<\/p>\n<p>He went on to joke\u00a0about hitting Germany &#8220;very, very hard&#8221; with tariffs, before giving Merz a slap on the leg.<\/p>\n<p>After discussing the decision of the Supreme Court that shot down his previous tariffs which he said actually reaffirmed his ability to impose tariffs, Trump went on to say he would cut trade with Spain, the one EU country that openly opposed the attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Spain \u200chas been terrible,&#8221; Trump \u200ctold \u200breporters during the meeting, adding \u200bthat he had told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent \u2060to &#8220;cut \u200boff all dealings&#8221; \u200bwith Spain.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re going to \u200bcut off \u200call trade with Spain. We \u200bdon&#8217;t \u2060want anything to do with Spain,&#8221; \u2060he \u200badded.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Following long-winding remarks from Trump about his purported successes, Merz spoke of his hope for a quick end to the war.<\/p>\n<p>The rising price of gas and oil since Saturday&#8217;s attacks &#8220;is of course damaging our economies,&#8221; Merz said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible and we are hoping that the Israeli and the American armies are doing the right things to bring this to an end,&#8221; he added, expressing hope for a &#8220;new government&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump predicted\u00a0that after the war oil prices would drop, &#8220;I believe lower even than before.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As for what could happen &#8220;the day after,&#8221; Trump had less to say.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who&#8217;s as bad as the previous person, right?&#8221; he told reporters.\u00a0&#8220;That could happen. We don&#8217;t want that to happen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Lots of the people we had in mind are dead,&#8221; he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As for <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/irans-exiled-crown-prince-asks-europes-help-to-end-regime\/a-75544196\">Reza Pahlavi<\/a>, the son of the former shah\u00a0who was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, Trump said:\u00a0&#8220;I&#8217;ve said that he looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody that&#8217;s there that&#8217;s currently popular, if there&#8217;s such a person, but we have people like that.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Following long-winding remarks from Trump about his purported successes, Merz spoke of his hope for a quick end to the war.<\/p>\n<p>The rising price of gas and oil since Saturday&#8217;s attacks &#8220;is of course damaging our economies,&#8221; Merz said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible and we are hoping that the Israeli and the American armies are doing the right things to bring this to an end,&#8221; he added, expressing hope for a &#8220;new government&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump predicted\u00a0that after the war oil prices would drop, &#8220;I believe lower even than before.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As for what could happen &#8220;the day after,&#8221; Trump had less to say.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who&#8217;s as bad as the previous person, right?&#8221; he told reporters.\u00a0&#8220;That could happen. We don&#8217;t want that to happen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Lots of the people we had in mind are dead,&#8221; he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As for <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/irans-exiled-crown-prince-asks-europes-help-to-end-regime\/a-75544196\">Reza Pahlavi<\/a>, the son of the former shah\u00a0who was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, Trump said:\u00a0&#8220;I&#8217;ve said that he looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody that&#8217;s there that&#8217;s currently popular, if there&#8217;s such a person, but we have people like that.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>The US president spent much of his time in front of the cameras with his German counterpart talking about the\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">US-Israeli attacks on Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if Israel had pushed the US to start the attack, Trump said that he had decided to go ahead with the assault based on the &#8220;way negotiations were going&#8221; with Iran and that he &#8220;had a feeling&#8221; Iran was about to launch its own attack.<\/p>\n<p>He said that the first few days of the war had knocked out much of Iran&#8217;s military capabilities,\u00a0&#8220;just about everything has been knocked out,&#8221; he told the press.<\/p>\n<p>While Iran has continued to fire rockets, including at its Arab neighbors, Trump predicted they couldn&#8217;t last much longer.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;ve shot a \u2060lot \u200bof them, and we&#8217;re knocking out a lot,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The US president spent much of his time in front of the cameras with his German counterpart talking about the\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">US-Israeli attacks on Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if Israel had pushed the US to start the attack, Trump said that he had decided to go ahead with the assault based on the &#8220;way negotiations were going&#8221; with Iran and that he &#8220;had a feeling&#8221; Iran was about to launch its own attack.<\/p>\n<p>He said that the first few days of the war had knocked out much of Iran&#8217;s military capabilities,\u00a0&#8220;just about everything has been knocked out,&#8221; he told the press.<\/p>\n<p>While Iran has continued to fire rockets, including at its Arab neighbors, Trump predicted they couldn&#8217;t last much longer.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;ve shot a \u2060lot \u200bof them, and we&#8217;re knocking out a lot,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Merz thanked Trump for his invitation to the White House &#8220;for the third time&#8221; as he met with the US president.<\/p>\n<p>Trump said it was a great honor to receive Merz &#8220;in this beautiful Oval Office.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The chancellor told his counterpart &#8220;we are on the same page in terms of getting rid of the regime in Tehran&#8221; but added that they would have to talk about &#8220;the day after.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He also said the two would talk about the trade agreements with the US and as well about the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">war in Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Merz thanked Trump for his invitation to the White House &#8220;for the third time&#8221; as he met with the US president.<\/p>\n<p>Trump said it was a great honor to receive Merz &#8220;in this beautiful Oval Office.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The chancellor told his counterpart &#8220;we are on the same page in terms of getting rid of the regime in Tehran&#8221; but added that they would have to talk about &#8220;the day after.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He also said the two would talk about the trade agreements with the US and as well about the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">war in Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Questions have emerged among German political parties over the US attacks on Iran ahead of Merz&#8217;s meeting with Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Matthias Miersch, the general secretary of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/social-democratic-party-spd\/t-17437818\">center-left SPD<\/a> that rules in a coalition with Merz&#8217;s own Union, said that the meeting offered an opportunity to ask Trump about the US &#8220;strategy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For us it&#8217;s clear that, according to everything we know, at the moment, international law is not being abided by,&#8221; Miersch said. &#8220;And that must be stated, especially for states that are dependent on the continued existence of the international order.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The SPD chief added that &#8220;no tears are being shed for the regime&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>The opposition <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germanys-green-party\/t-17365878\">Greens<\/a> also called for Merz to request an explanation from\u00a0Trump on his strategy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What is the strategy now? What does the future hold for the people in the Middle East?&#8221;\u00a0Green parliamentary leader Britta Hasselmann said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We as Europeans must make it clear to the Trump administration that it is in our interest to stand together in the international community for a rules-based order for the rule of law, for democracy and also for international law for the future,&#8221; Hasselmann said, adding that the US-Israeli attack on Saturday had\u00a0&#8220;no mandate under international law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 US-Israel strikes on Iran 'obviously not legal,' lawyer says\" class=\"headline\">US-Israel strikes on Iran &#8216;obviously not legal,&#8217; lawyer says<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76189217\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76189217\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/stills\/images\/je\/je20260302_GissouNia_image_512x288_3.jpg\" data-duration=\"04:24\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20260302_GissouNia_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Questions have emerged among German political parties over the US attacks on Iran ahead of Merz&#8217;s meeting with Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Matthias Miersch, the general secretary of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/social-democratic-party-spd\/t-17437818\">center-left SPD<\/a> that rules in a coalition with Merz&#8217;s own Union, said that the meeting offered an opportunity to ask Trump about the US &#8220;strategy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For us it&#8217;s clear that, according to everything we know, at the moment, international law is not being abided by,&#8221; Miersch said. &#8220;And that must be stated, especially for states that are dependent on the continued existence of the international order.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The SPD chief added that &#8220;no tears are being shed for the regime&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>The opposition <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germanys-green-party\/t-17365878\">Greens<\/a> also called for Merz to request an explanation from\u00a0Trump on his strategy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What is the strategy now? What does the future hold for the people in the Middle East?&#8221;\u00a0Green parliamentary leader Britta Hasselmann said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We as Europeans must make it clear to the Trump administration that it is in our interest to stand together in the international community for a rules-based order for the rule of law, for democracy and also for international law for the future,&#8221; Hasselmann said, adding that the US-Israeli attack on Saturday had\u00a0&#8220;no mandate under international law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Merz reportedly met with business representatives for a working breakfast in Washington, according to the AFP news agency, which\u00a0cited government sources.<\/p>\n<p>Both German and US companies were represented in the morning meeting. Among these were representatives from <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bayerische-motorenwerke-bmw\/t-17449037\">BMW<\/a>, T-mobile, Boehringer Ingelheim, Honeywell and Boston Consulting Group.<\/p>\n<p>The head of Lockheed Martin also joined the breakfast. Germany has ordered 35 F-35 fighter jets from the\u00a0US defense giant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Merz reportedly met with business representatives for a working breakfast in Washington, according to the AFP news agency, which\u00a0cited government sources.<\/p>\n<p>Both German and US companies were represented in the morning meeting. Among these were representatives from <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bayerische-motorenwerke-bmw\/t-17449037\">BMW<\/a>, T-mobile, Boehringer Ingelheim, Honeywell and Boston Consulting Group.<\/p>\n<p>The head of Lockheed Martin also joined the breakfast. Germany has ordered 35 F-35 fighter jets from the\u00a0US defense giant.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Friedrich Merz made his first public remarks on the US-Israeli attack on Iran on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>In a brief statement, he warned that the strikes carried significant risks, but he declined to call out violations of international law.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what Merz had to say:<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Military strikes on Iran 'not without risk': Chancellor Merz\" class=\"headline\">Military strikes on Iran &#8216;not without risk&#8217;: Chancellor Merz<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76200332\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76200332\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76176790_605.webp\" data-duration=\"00:45\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260303_MerzforRina_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Friedrich Merz made his first public remarks on the US-Israeli attack on Iran on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>In a brief statement, he warned that the strikes carried significant risks, but he declined to call out violations of international law.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what Merz had to say:<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Friedrich Merz visited Donald Trump in the White House for the first time in June of last year.<\/p>\n<p>While the chancellor said after the meeting that he was &#8220;extremely satisfied&#8221; with how they went, the talking points have, in many ways, not changed. The obvious exception is the war against Iran that broke out on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n<p>But <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-tariffs\/t-71496505\">Trump&#8217;s tariff<\/a> policies are once again on the docket despite the US and EU coming to an agreement last year. After the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-tariffs-eu-grapples-with-fallout-of-us-court-ruling\/a-76070061\">Supreme Court declared the tariffs illegal<\/a>, Trump responded by declaring a new flat rate of 15% tariffs on all trading partners. As such, the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/eu-freezes-us-trade-deal-after-supreme-court-tariff-ruling\/a-76095257\">EU has paused its ratification of the agreement<\/a> as it waits to see what will happen with the new tariffs.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">war in Ukraine<\/a>, now <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russia-ukraine-war-drones-starlink-evacuations-front-line-changes-since-2022\/a-76096050\">going on for more than four years<\/a>, also remains a key yet unresolved issue. Trump has been much less supportive of Ukraine in comparison to his predecessor and to his European allies. Attempts to work out a peace agreement with Russia have proved fruitless, even as\u00a0early versions of the agreement\u00a0looked ready to concede\u00a0swathes of land to Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Another issue that gained\u00a0prominence since their last meeting is the question of <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/greenland\/t-71244495\">Greenland<\/a>, which Trump has repeatedly, since his first term, said he wants to acquire for the US as a matter of security. This brought <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-europe-relations\/t-71768586\">US-European relations<\/a> to <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/wef-davos-trump-european-union-greenland-trade-tariffs-nato\/a-75584471\">their lowest point<\/a>, with some NATO members asking whether they would be called to war against the US should it attempt to take the\u00a0semiautonomous Danish territory\u00a0by force.<\/p>\n<p>However, it remains to be seen whether Merz will bring up this thorny issue in his meeting with Trump. The talks have been scheduled to last for thirty minutes but will likely spill over.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Trump and Merz strike friendly tone at White House meeting\" class=\"headline\">Trump and Merz strike friendly tone at White House meeting<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-72809945\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"72809945\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/72809320_605.webp\" data-duration=\"02:36\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20250606_MERZTRUMP23Dx_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Friedrich Merz visited Donald Trump in the White House for the first time in June of last year.<\/p>\n<p>While the chancellor said after the meeting that he was &#8220;extremely satisfied&#8221; with how they went, the talking points have, in many ways, not changed. The obvious exception is the war against Iran that broke out on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n<p>But <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-tariffs\/t-71496505\">Trump&#8217;s tariff<\/a> policies are once again on the docket despite the US and EU coming to an agreement last year. After the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-tariffs-eu-grapples-with-fallout-of-us-court-ruling\/a-76070061\">Supreme Court declared the tariffs illegal<\/a>, Trump responded by declaring a new flat rate of 15% tariffs on all trading partners. As such, the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/eu-freezes-us-trade-deal-after-supreme-court-tariff-ruling\/a-76095257\">EU has paused its ratification of the agreement<\/a> as it waits to see what will happen with the new tariffs.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">war in Ukraine<\/a>, now <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russia-ukraine-war-drones-starlink-evacuations-front-line-changes-since-2022\/a-76096050\">going on for more than four years<\/a>, also remains a key yet unresolved issue. Trump has been much less supportive of Ukraine in comparison to his predecessor and to his European allies. Attempts to work out a peace agreement with Russia have proved fruitless, even as\u00a0early versions of the agreement\u00a0looked ready to concede\u00a0swathes of land to Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Another issue that gained\u00a0prominence since their last meeting is the question of <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/greenland\/t-71244495\">Greenland<\/a>, which Trump has repeatedly, since his first term, said he wants to acquire for the US as a matter of security. This brought <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-europe-relations\/t-71768586\">US-European relations<\/a> to <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/wef-davos-trump-european-union-greenland-trade-tariffs-nato\/a-75584471\">their lowest point<\/a>, with some NATO members asking whether they would be called to war against the US should it attempt to take the\u00a0semiautonomous Danish territory\u00a0by force.<\/p>\n<p>However, it remains to be seen whether Merz will bring up this thorny issue in his meeting with Trump. The talks have been scheduled to last for thirty minutes but will likely spill over.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"73412143\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/73412143_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"United States President Donald Trump greets the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Friedrich Merz as he arrives at the White House in Washington, DC on June 5, 2025\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Chancellor Friedrich Merz&#8217;s inaugural visit to the White House was seen as a success back home<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Celal Gunes\/Anadolu Agency\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It is a trip that had been planned for a long time, but\u00a0under very different circumstances: the chancellor will now meet with Trump\u00a0amid an\u00a0escalating conflict in Iran\u00a0and the Middle East. Merz had\u00a0a range of issues with him that have been turned upside down by current events.<\/p>\n<p>Merz responded to the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Sunday by condemning Iran but has been cautious to express support for the attacks amid questions over their legality.<\/p>\n<p>Read <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran-war-german-chancellor-trump-talks-israel\/a-76155670\">DW&#8217;s full report on how the war changes Merz&#8217;s plans in DC and what else to expect.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>While you&#8217;re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>It is a trip that had been planned for a long time, but\u00a0under very different circumstances: the chancellor will now meet with Trump\u00a0amid an\u00a0escalating conflict in Iran\u00a0and the Middle East. Merz had\u00a0a range of issues with him that have been turned upside down by current events.<\/p>\n<p>Merz responded to the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Sunday by condemning Iran but has been cautious to express support for the attacks amid questions over their legality.<\/p>\n<p>Read <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran-war-german-chancellor-trump-talks-israel\/a-76155670\">DW&#8217;s full report on how the war changes Merz&#8217;s plans in DC and what else to expect.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>While you&#8217;re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/trump-and-merz-discuss-iran-tariffs-and-ukraine\/live-76199914&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76204706_6.jpg&#8221;] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/59j4s Merz met with Trump in the White House for the second time as chancellorImage: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds\/AFP Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Washington, DC on Monday evening Merz met with US President Donald Trump for bilateral talks in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1804891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1804891"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804891\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1804891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1804891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1804891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}