Germany cancels Merz-Trump call after praise for AfD

The German government on Wednesday unexpectedly cancelled a planned phone call between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump — without scheduling a new date.

The cancellation was prompted by Trump’s public congratulation of the far-right Alternative for Germany party on its election results in Saxony-Anhalt, according to Berliner Zeitung.

Government spokesman Stefan Cornelius confirmed the cancellation in Berlin but declined to explain the reasons. When asked whether it was connected to Trump’s remarks about the AfD, Cornelius referred to Merz’s repeated statements that foreign commentary on Germany’s domestic politics — particularly in the context of elections — is something the chancellor considers unacceptable. The call had originally been planned to mark the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The diplomatic démarche was triggered by a post Trump published on Truth Social on Tuesday evening. “Wow! The Populist Party of Germany had a really great night,” he wrote, without naming the AfD directly.

“They have finally had enough of the absolutely horrible immigration rules and regulations that have so badly hurt Germany. THEY ARE ON THE RISE and will not take it anymore! MGGA!!!”

The acronym MGGA stands for “Make Germany Great Again.” The AfD received approximately 43.8% of the vote in Sunday’s elections in Saxony-Anhalt, winning 39 seats in the state parliament out of 83 and, for the first time in the party’s history, finishing first in a German state parliament election. The party has been designated a confirmed extremist organization by Germany’s domestic intelligence service; it opposes military aid to Ukraine and advocates closer ties with Russia.

The current episode is not the first clash between Berlin and Washington. In April, Merz publicly criticized the American-Israeli military operation against Iran, which drew a sharp rebuke from Trump. The US subsequently announced a reduction of its military contingent in Germany by 5,000 personnel, though Merz rejected any connection between the two events. The leaders managed to smooth over the tensions during a May phone call that Merz described as “good” and “productive.”

The outlet t-online, in its analysis, characterized Trump’s post not as an isolated provocation but as part of a broader pattern: the American administration is systematically seeking to influence the domestic politics of European countries. As an example, the outlet cited Vice President J.D. Vance’s appearance alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at a campaign event in Budapest in April. Merz himself had previously spoken of “colossal pressure” on German affairs from both Washington and Moscow, effectively placing them in the same category.

T-online called on Merz to secure a joint European declaration with France, Poland, and other EU countries against foreign interference in elections — particularly in light of the upcoming presidential elections in France. Against the backdrop of German state elections scheduled for the autumn, tensions between Berlin and Washington over the boundaries of acceptable conduct within the alliance show no sign of easing.