{"id":2569663,"date":"2026-02-13T11:17:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/friedrich-merz-us-not-strong-enough-to-weaken-nato\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T11:20:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:20:25","slug":"friedrich-merz-us-not-strong-enough-to-weaken-nato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/friedrich-merz-us-not-strong-enough-to-weaken-nato\/","title":{"rendered":"Friedrich Merz: US &#8216;not strong enough&#8217; to weaken NATO"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffriedrich-merz-us-not-strong-enough-to-weaken-nato%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2569663&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged a revival of teh U.S.\u2013European relationship at the Munich Security Conference, warning against Europe going it alone in an era of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lessons-from-the-last-cold-war\/\" title=\"Lessons from the Last Cold War\">great-power rivalry<\/a>. He argued that NATO remains Europe\u2019s and the united States\u2019 shared competitive advantage and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >urged repairing transatlantic trust<\/a> while Europe reduces excessive dependency on Washington. Merz proposed strengthening Europe\u2019s own capabilities, including talks with France on a joint European nuclear deterrent, to build a stronger European pillar within the alliance. He emphasized expanding partnerships beyond Europe to include countries like Canada, Japan, Turkey, India, Brazil, South Africa, and Gulf states. The speech reflected concerns about a realignment of alliances under recent U.S. and global security thinking, noting that some elements of the post\u2013Cold War order may be changing. Merz also cautioned against discarding the U.S. as a partner, arguing that Europe must be more self-reliant while maintaining a robust transatlantic bond.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Friedrich Merz warns US &lsquo;not strong enough&rsquo; to axe European alliances in Munich speech<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2023003\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>German Chancellor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/friedrich-merz\/\">Friedrich Merz<\/a> called for a revival of the U.S.-European relationship, warning <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/washington-dc\/\">Washington<\/a> against going solo on the world stage.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the era of great power rivalry, even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone,&rdquo; the German leader said in a speech to NATO members during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4455794\/congress-munich-conference-opportunity-rebuild-confidence-nato-allies\/\">high-profile Munich Security Conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4456621\/two-israelis-first-people-charged-state-secrets-influence-polymarket\/\">Two Israelis become first people to be charged over using state secrets to influence Polymarket<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4456236\/zelensky-criticizes-ioc-disqualifying-ukrainian-olympian-helmet-honoring-athletes-killed\/\">Zelensky criticizes IOC for disqualifying Ukrainian Olympian for helmet honoring athletes killed in war<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4456086\/russia-replaces-whatsapp-with-state-sanctioned-messaging-app\/\">Russia replaces WhatsApp access with state sanctioned messaging app<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Merz sought to appeal to Washington this week, arguing that keeping a strong relationship with Europe is in line with the U.S.&rsquo;s increasingly transactional philosophy on partnerships. Although he acknowledged concerns about &ldquo;difficulties&rdquo; in the relationship, he said calls to write off the U.S. as a partner are unrealistic, warning that critics &ldquo;ignore hard geopolitical realities&rdquo; and &ldquo;underestimate the potential that our partnership with the U.S. continues to have.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses the audience during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo\/Michael Probst)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Being a part of NATO&nbsp; is not only Europe&rsquo;s competitive advantage. It&rsquo;s also the United States&rsquo;s competitive advantage. So let&rsquo;s repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together. We, the Europeans, are doing our part,&rdquo; Merz said in remarks seeking to &ldquo;repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, the chancellor urged Europe to step up internal partnerships and decrease &ldquo;excessive dependency&rdquo; on the U.S. <\/p>\n<p>Merz revealed he is speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron to create a joint European nuclear deterrent, stating that &ldquo;in the long run, we will only be successful if we take the other Europeans on board.&rdquo; And he warned the U.S. claim to global leadership &ldquo;has been challenged and possibly lost,&rdquo; arguing that the world order as NATO has known it &ldquo;no longer exists.&rdquo; While he urged the U.S. not to write NATO off, the chancellor also urged partners to build &ldquo;a strong, self-supporting European pillar within the alliance.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Partnership is not an absolute term here &mdash; it doesn&rsquo;t require full convergence of all values and interests,&rdquo; he said, naming Canada, Japan, Turkey, India, Brazil, South Africa, the Gulf states, and others as opportunities to expand alliances in place of the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>Merz&rsquo;s statement comes as the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and European partners has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/3913408\/denmark-labels-us-possible-security-threat-over-uncertainty\/\">undergone a realignment <\/a>under the Trump administration, with Washington approaching alliances from an increasingly mercurial, noninterventionist standpoint. That approach was detailed in the Trump administration&rsquo;s 2025 National Security Strategy, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf\">which said<\/a> &ldquo;the days of the United States propping up the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-is-super-creep-klaus-schwab-even-at-the-g-20-summit\/\" title=\"Why Is Super Creep Klaus Schwab Even At The G-20 Summit?\">entire world order<\/a> like Atlas are over&rdquo; and that it is &ldquo;far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4457163\/arizona-sheriff-denies-report-blocked-key-guthrie-evidence-fbi\/\">ARIZONA SHERIFF DENIES REPORT HE BLOCKED NANCY GUTHRIE EVIDENCE FROM FBI<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Merz&rsquo;s speech echoes similar comments he made after the White House released the NSS in December. At the time, he was among European leaders who warned that the foundations of the&nbsp;security&nbsp;order established after the Cold War are being splintered, as the U.S. splits alliances in favor of perceived&nbsp;national&nbsp;interests.<\/p>\n<p>Parts of the document were understandable, but &ldquo;some of it is unacceptable for us from the European point of view,&rdquo; Merz&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3911718\/trump-attacks-weak-politically-correct-european-leaders\/\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;In my talks with the Americans, I say, &lsquo;&rdquo;America First&rdquo; is fine,&rsquo; but America alone can&rsquo;t be in your interest. You need partners in the world, too.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Merz: US not strong enough to drop EU ties<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2569664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26044467463266.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[54700,66127,50459,69399,73752],"class_list":["post-2569663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-friedrich-merz","tag-military-alliance","tag-nato-2","tag-transatlantic-relations","tag-us-germany-relations"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26044467463266.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2569663"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2569667,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569663\/revisions\/2569667"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2569664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2569663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2569663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2569663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}