Trump sends nuclear warning to Germany after country 'humiliated' him

Donald Trump has sent a stern nuclear warning to Germany following comments made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

On Monday (April 27), during a speech in Marsberg, Merz criticized the US's diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, specifically regarding peace talks with Iran.

According to The Guardian, he said: "Iran is obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilled at not negotiating."

"An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible," he added.

Trump Responds To German Chancellor

The 70-year-old's comments came after a February joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, which prompted Iranian retaliation through strikes on Israel and US-allied Gulf nations.

Trump, who had met with Merz just a month earlier in March at the White House, wasted no time responding.

On his Truth Social platform, the president wrote: "The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!"

Trump claimed that his administration was addressing the issue in a way that "other nations, or presidents, should have done long ago".

"No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!" he concluded.

US Diplomatic Frustrations with NATO Allies

These comments from the 79-year-old come amid a diplomatic rift involving the US and its NATO allies, with a leaked Pentagon email shedding light on US frustrations.

The email reportedly discussed ways to hold NATO members accountable for their lack of support in the Iran conflict, including the potential suspension of Spain from the alliance.

However, NATO officials were quick to reject the idea, telling BBC News that the founding treaty "does not foresee any provision for suspension of Nato membership, or expulsion".

Royal Visit Improves US-UK Relations

Despite these tensions with Germany, the US's relationship with the UK appears to have improved following a royal visit.

King Charles and Queen Camilla's recent trip to the US saw the King address Congress, where he reiterated the importance of the enduring "bond of kinship" between the two nations.

On Tuesday (April 28), Charles gave the president a giant brass bell bearing his name, a symbolic relic with deep wartime meaning.

The bell came from H.M.S. Trump, a British World War Two submarine that helped protect Allied interests during the fight against Nazism and later served in the Pacific.

Calling it his "personal" gift, the monarch told Trump he hoped it would "stand as a testimony to our nation’s shared history and shining future".

The King, who served in the Royal Navy himself, also said the submarine had played "a critical role during the war in the Pacific," before delivering a joke.

"And should you ever need to get hold of us, just give us a ring," he joked.

Featured image credit: Win McNamee / Getty