Germany’s Merz chides standing ovation for Rubio at Munich Security Conference
The German chancellor described the US secretary of state’s speech at the event as Trump ‘in friendlier packaging’
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed irritation over the standing ovation for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference.
“I wasn’t in the hall and even if I had been, I would have found it difficult to stand up,” Merz said on the political podcast Machtwechsel (“change of power”), which is due to be released on Wednesday.
Rubio’s speech had not been as confrontational as the one delivered by US Vice-President J.D. Vance at last year’s conference, Merz said, adding that it was still US President Donald Trump “in friendlier packaging”.
Merz explained the reaction in the hall by saying that the community had been pleased that an American had stood at the front who still addressed them as friends.
“That alone triggered a certain emotion. It wouldn’t have been enough for me, but evidently it was enough for the hall,” he said.
Rubio on Saturday had spoken in favour of revitalising the transatlantic partnership. At the same time, however, he made clear that he envisioned such cooperation only on terms shaped by the Trump administration.