Friedrich Merz cancels Donald Trump call after US president praises AfD election victory

Postponed telephone diplomacy

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz postponed a scheduled bilateral telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius declined to state the specific reason for the decision, while clarifying to reporters that the postponement was not caused by scheduling conflicts. The call had been planned in part to coordinate on preparations for the 25th anniversary commemorations of 11 September 2001. Kornelius noted that Merz had consistently opposed external interference or commentary on domestic German politics and electoral processes. In July, Merz stated that Germany does not interfere in American elections and that he does not want the US government or affiliated institutions interfering in German elections. Berlin officials confirmed that no rescheduled date has been agreed.

Trump reaction to Saxony-Anhalt vote

The diplomatic dispute followed comments published by Trump on Truth Social on Tuesday evening concerning the state election in Saxony-Anhalt. Trump had initially shared a graphic of the election results in German on Sunday before posting a direct message celebrating the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night. They have finally had it with the absolutely horrible immigration rules and regulations that have hurt Germany so badly. They are on the rise and are not going to take it anymore!

Trump concluded his post with the acronym "MGGA", short for Make Germany Great Again. Former US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell also welcomed the result, stating that voters were ready for change regardless of the labels applied to them. Other prominent American figures have previously expressed support for the party, including Elon Musk, who addressed an AfD campaign rally by videoconference during the 2025 federal election, and Vice President J.D. Vance, who defended the group at the Munich Security Conference in January 2025.

Domestic fallout and election outcome

The regional election held on Sunday in Saxony-Anhalt delivered first place to the AfD with 43.8% of the vote, representing its highest vote share in any German state election. Voter turnout reached 78% across the state. Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which had previously held first place in the state parliament, fell to second position with 17.2%. The regional intelligence authorities in Saxony-Anhalt classify the local AfD branch as an extreme right-wing organization.

We are all shocked, this is the biggest defeat for the CDU in decades.

Merz stated on Monday that the defeat would carry political consequences and indicated that policy reforms would be necessary. He had previously characterized the party as racist, a threat to democratic institutions, and committed to ethnic cleansing policies.

Transatlantic tensions and prior encounters

The disagreement follows earlier policy friction between the two administrations concerning foreign policy and European defense. During a bilateral meeting at the White House in June 2025, Merz urged Trump to maintain a firmer stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine, while Trump compared the war to a dispute between children. Relations appeared to improve during the G7 summit in Évian three months ago, where Merz presented Trump with a German national soccer jersey reading "Trump 47" for his 80th birthday, remarking that both leaders were on the same team. However, relations have strained further after US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, criticized German intelligence reports classifying the AfD as an extremist organization.