German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, already involved in a growing dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump over the war in Iran, has stated that he would not advise his children to study or work in the United States under the current climate.
Speaking at a conference of young Catholics in Würzburg, the conservative leader said he no longer sees America as the “land of opportunity.”
“I am a great admirer of America. At the moment, my admiration is not increasing,” he said, referring to the rapid changes in the “social climate” of a deeply polarized country.
“I would not advise my children today to go to the United States for education or work because a certain social climate has suddenly emerged there,” Merz stated.
He added that even highly educated people in the U.S. are finding it difficult to secure jobs.
“I firmly believe that there are few countries in the world that offer such great opportunities for young people as Germany,” he declared.
Relations between the United States and its European allies have become increasingly strained due to disagreements over trade and military aid to Ukraine. Merz has also stated that conflicts in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have seriously harmed European interests.
