Trump fires back after Merkel criticism
Tweet again chides Germany over trade and defence
Berlin — President Donald Trump blasted Germany anew over trade and defence, ratcheting up a dispute with Chancellor Angela Merkel that risks getting personal and undermining a transatlantic bond that is the bedrock of US-European relations. Trump’s comments came in an early-morning tweet on Tuesday issued just as Merkel hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Berlin, where they held a joint cabinet meeting and signed co-operation agreements. Modi suggested that India would adhere to the Paris climate accords, while Trump made up his mind. "We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military," the US president posted on Twitter. "This will change." The message came minutes after Merkel and Modi held a joint press conference in which the German leader called India a "reliable partner with respect to big projects". That contrasted with her comments in Munich on Sunday that dependable transatlantic ties that formed the basis of...
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