Chicago – February 15, 2026
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned of “a deep rift” between Europe and the United States, arguing that the latter “will not be powerful enough to go it alone.”
In his address at the Munich Security Conference Friday, Merz urged Europe and the U.S. to “repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together” in what he referred to as an “era of great power rivalry.”
Switching to English as he addressed American “friends,” Merz nodded to Trump’s contentious relationship with NATO, insisting that “being a part of [the alliance] is not only Europe’s competitive advantage. It’s also the United States’ competitive advantage.”
While he acknowledged that the existing global order has long been flawed, Merz—when discussing the “under destruction” theme of this year’s conference—argued the “international order based on rights and rules is currently being destroyed.”
He also referenced Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech from last year’s conference. Vance drew ire from European leaders when he argued that what concerned him most was Europe’s “threat from within… the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values—values shared with the United States of America.” He used “free speech” as an example of the values in retreat.
“The culture war of the MAGA movement is not ours,” Merz continued. “Freedom of speech ends here with us when that speech goes against human dignity and the constitution. We do not believe in tariffs and protectionism, but in free trade.”
