Trump has been ​sparring with Merz over the war in Iran in recent days. On Tuesday, ​he said Merz didn’t know what he was talking about after the German leader said the Iranians were humiliating the US in talks to end the two-month-old war.

On Wednesday, during an Oval Office event, he said Merz was struggling at home with energy and immigration issues, and had failed to help resolve the Ukraine war.

“He’s doing a terrible job,” he said. “And he’s got a big problem with Ukraine, because they’re in that mess.”

Merz, speaking at a military base, underscored the importance of the transatlantic partnership but did not mention Trump’s comments about troop reductions. He said Berlin remained in “trusting contact” with partners and reaffirmed Germany’s openness to taking part in a military mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once conditions were met.

The strait has been largely blockaded since the outbreak of the war on Feb 28, throttling oil transports, driving energy prices sharply higher and disrupting vital supply chains, including for fertilizer.

Trump made his first Thursday comments in a Truth Social post.

“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!), and fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!” Trump said.