Merz-Trump phone call unexpectedly cancelled

A phone call between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump, scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, unexpectedly did not happen, German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius announced. The news was reported by Bild and relayed by "European Pravda".

Cornelius did not specify a concrete reason, only noting that the matter likely is not limited to scheduling issues. A new date for the call has not yet been set.

What the call was meant to address

The planned conversation was primarily expected to focus on the upcoming 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. According to Cornelius, the chancellor intended to emphasize that the United States can continue to count on full solidarity from Germany and Europe.

Timing coincides with election results

Notably, the cancellation came as Trump had congratulated the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) on its strong showing in the state election in Saxony-Anhalt. AfD scored a historic win in Sunday's election by a wide margin, though it did not secure an absolute majority.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said she expects the party's nationwide support to keep rising following the Saxony-Anhalt triumph, potentially reaching 40%.