German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would not advise his children to live, study and work in the United States because of the changing social climate and the difficulties facing highly qualified personnel, Reuters quoted him as saying.
The speech was made during a Catholic congress in Würzburg in front of a young audience and comes against the backdrop of increased tensions between Washington and European NATO allies under President Donald Trump. Among the contentious topics are trade relations, the war in Ukraine and the conflict with Iran.
Last month, Merz said the United States had been "humiliated" in the war with Iran, which prompted a sharp response from Trump. Shortly after, Washington announced a partial withdrawal of US troops from Germany and increased tariffs on cars from the European Union - a key sector for the German economy.
In his speech, the chancellor urged Germans not to view the world in "disaster mode" and to be more confident in their own country's potential.
"I firmly believe that there are few countries in the world that offer such great opportunities, especially for young people, as Germany," he said.
"I would not recommend that my children go to the US today, get an education there and work there," Merz said, adding that "a "social climate" had suddenly developed there. The chancellor did not specify what exactly he meant by "social climate".
"Today, the most educated people in America are having great difficulty finding a job."
Merz took office in 2025 and initially presented himself as a staunch transatlanticist, but subsequently took an increasingly critical stance towards Washington. For his part, Trump said that the German chancellor should first focus on fixing her own "broken country".
"I am a great admirer of America," Merz told the audience. "My admiration is not growing at the moment," he added to laughter and applause.