German leader Friedrich Merz calls for European independence from US security guarantees

Friedrich Merz, the new leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, has called for Europe to become more independent from the United States. He stated that the U.S. can no longer ensure Europe's security as it has for the past 80 years. Merz expressed concerns about the influence of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on European affairs. He suggested that Europe may need to coordinate its nuclear programs with the UK and France and consider changes to NATO. He emphasized the need for unity in Europe, citing pressure from both the U.S. and Russia. Merz described recent U.S. actions as alarming and compared them to Russian interventions.