Move by Trump angers Germany: He postponed the phone call
14:56, 10/09/2026, ThursdayU: Update: 14:58, 10/09/2026, Thursday
Yeni Şafak
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was set to hold a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has postponed a planned phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled around the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. German media reports, citing government sources, said the delay came after Trump publicly praised the electoral performance of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Reports in the German press linked the postponement to a social media statement by Trump following the Saxony-Anhalt state election. The AfD emerged as the leading party in the vote, prompting the U.S. president to describe the result as a “very big success” for the right-wing party.
Trump praises AfD’s rise
Trump also argued that the AfD was gaining momentum in Germany and connected its electoral performance to public frustration over the country’s immigration policies. “The populist party in Germany, AfD, had a very big success,” Trump wrote, adding that Germans had become tired of what he described as immigration rules and policies that were causing significant harm to the country.
The U.S. president ended his message with the acronym “MGGA.” German media interpreted the phrase as “Make Germany Great Again,” drawing a direct parallel with Trump’s well-known “Make America Great Again” political slogan.
ZDF highlights tensions with Berlin
Germany’s public broadcaster ZDF also reported on the postponement, framing it around the German government’s reaction to Trump’s position on the AfD. Its coverage said Berlin was angered by the U.S. president’s support for the party following its strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt.
A sensitive moment for Berlin-Washington ties
The planned conversation between Merz and Trump was expected to take place in connection with the September 11 anniversary, a date carrying particular significance in U.S.-German relations. The reported delay comes as Germany continues to debate the AfD’s growing electoral influence, while Trump has increasingly expressed support for populist and right-wing political movements in Europe.