What Does Friedrich Merz’s Election Victory Mean for Germany’s Foreign Policy? | DW News

Feb 23, 2025 | Friedrich Merz sharply criticized Donald Trump's administration and urged Europe to distance from Washington during a post-election panel airing on state broadcaster ARD. Merz said it was not certain what the future has in store for NATO and if Europe will need to act quickly to shore up its own defenses. He also criticized Trump confidant and tech billionaire Elon Musk for meddling in the German election campaign, saying that the "intervention from Washington were no less drastic, dramatic, and ultimately no less brazen, than the intervention that we have seen from Moscow."