US President Donald Trump welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the White House on Tuesday for talks as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran widened, sending oil prices to their highest level since 2024. Speaking in the Oval Office, Merz said Germany and the United States shared a desire to get rid of Iran's current regime. The US president appreciated that Germany was letting US forces land in "certain areas," but stressed Washington was not seeking German troops. Trump threatens SpainTrump said he would cut off all trade with Spain after Madrid refused to allow U.S. forces to use its military bases for missions linked to the Iran strikes. Relations between Spain and the United States have been strained over migration policy and defence spending, with Madrid resisting calls to raise military expenditure to 5% of GDP.

Source: The Telegraph March 03, 2026 18:37 UTC