
German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil publicly defended Chancellor Friedrich Merz and pushed back at President Trump, saying Trump had mishandled the Iran war and should focus on ending it. The U.S. decision to cut about 5,000 troops in Germany amid the spat has heightened tensions and reinforced German criticism that U.S. actions are causing economic and diplomatic fallout. Germany's failure to win a UN Security Council seat has amplified these concerns, with critics citing the loss as a sign of weakened international standing tied to the transatlantic rift.
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