Há 16 horas
quinta-feira, 30 de abril de 2026
Não são lojas, são barcos! / António Sérgio Rosa de Carvalho / 16 de Janeiro de 2024
OPINIÃO
Não
são lojas, são barcos!
Todos
já concluíram, com excepção das autoridades, que muitas destas lojas de
bugigangas constituirão uma fachada para máfias que as utilizam como plataforma
rotativa para imigração ilegal.
António Sérgio Rosa de Carvalho
16 de Janeiro de 2024, 14:45
https://www.publico.pt/2024/01/16/opiniao/opiniao/nao-sao-lojas-sao-barcos-2076992
O encerramento da loja Vida Portuguesa marca,
como sintoma irreversível, uma nova dimensão no desaparecimento no quotidiano
das vivências portuguesas num originalmente centro histórico, agora reduzido a
mero décor híbrido.
O encerramento da Livraria Ferin (1) e da Barbearia Campos (2)
fazem parte deste diagnóstico, mas o caso específico da primeira loja de
Catarina Portas, ultrapassa estes no plano simbólico, de forma sintomaticamente
grave.
Catarina Portas pertence a uma geração, como
muitos outros, que tentou habitar o centro histórico de Lisboa. Mas Catarina
foi mais longe.
Demonstrando uma capacidade de empreendimento
criativo, associada a uma visão cultural única, características raras numa
sociedade de sonâmbulos entorpecidos, ela criou um projecto determinado por uma
revisitação refrescante do artesanato português, colocando-o com grande
sensibilidade estética em interiores de património arquitectónico ameaçado.
Assim, de forma dialéctica, ela conseguiu, de
forma única, inverter o conceito de nostalgia passiva implícito no mito da
Saudade, em algo activo, dinâmico e criativo.
O PÚBLICO publicou recentemente uma entrevista
(3) com Catarina Portas.
Nela, ela exprime o seu espanto pela
omnipresença na Baixa lisboeta e portuense de centenas de lojas de bugigangas
asiáticas, que sobrevivem a todos sobressaltos, pagando acima de 10 mil euros
de renda mensal sem uma dinâmica comercial que justifique tais investimentos.
Com relação a este mistério pronunciei-me já
em Julho de 2017,(4) com perguntas directas e um
apelo aos jornalistas. Este apelo foi seguido por Bárbara Reis, moradora da
Baixa e ex-directora do PÚBLICO, que em Maio de 2021 publicou um artigo no qual
explicitamente perguntava: "Que negócio há atrás das lojas de bugigangas
para turistas?"(5)
Ora, todos já concluíram, com excepção das
autoridades responsáveis, que muitas destas lojas constituirão uma fachada para
máfias que as utilizam como plataforma rotativa para avalanches de imigração
ilegal, a fim de, aproveitando-se da permissividade apática e de uma nova lei
da imigração que concede a qualquer um seis meses para procurar trabalho, e
através de um registo na Segurança Social, garantirem o direito a residir.
Este paradoxo, em total contraciclo com a
Europa (ver as novas leis de imigração em França, Alemanha, Países Baixos,
Escandinávia) transformou Portugal numa fábrica de legalizações e principal
exportador de imigração ilegal para os Países de Schengen (ver também, da minha
autoria, "Chega de dar razões ao Chega para ter razão"(6) e ainda "Um apelo à revisão da nova Lei da
Imigração e à reposição do SEF").(7)
Os leitores já compreenderam. Este fenómeno,
que constitui mistério apenas para aqueles que não querem ver aquilo que é
evidente, forma a nossa versão dos barcos que tanto tumulto político têm
provocado em Inglaterra e Itália.
Máfias organizadas(8)
ganham fortunas com os sonhos de vítimas. Também as lojas são geridas por
máfias internacionais onde “são os empregados que pagam aos patrões, não são os
patrões que pagam aos empregados”.
Temos eleições brevemente, seguidas de
eleições europeias. O tema da imigração vai dominar as eleições europeias.
E Portugal continua alheio a tudo quanto se
passa à sua volta, numa apatia submissa e sonâmbula, sempre à espera que Tudo e
Todos determinem o nosso futuro!
Historiador de Arquitectura
(3) https://www.publico.pt/2023/12/24/local/entrevista/precisamos-dez-lojas-pasteis-nata-rua-2074612
(4) https://www.publico.pt/2017/07/12/local/opiniao/o-misterio-das-lojas-asiaticas-1778557
(5)https://www.publico.pt/2021/05/15/local/opiniao/negocio-ha-atras-lojas-bugigangas-turistas-1962506
(6) https://www.publico.pt/2023/04/04/opiniao/opiniao/chega-dar-razoes-chega-razao-2044760
Are the UK high street shops being substituded for organised crime in disguise?
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Are the
UK high street shops being substituded for organised crime in disguise?
Yes,
there is significant evidence that thousands of UK high street shops are
increasingly being used as fronts for organised crime, including money
laundering, selling illegal goods, and exploiting workers.
This
trend, sometimes described as a "takeover" or "hijacking"
of high streets, is a major focus for UK law enforcement, particularly through
the National Crime Agency's (NCA) [Operation Machinize].
Key
Findings on Criminal Activity
Widespread
Fronts: Thousands of high street shops, specifically mini-marts, vape shops,
barbers, and American-style candy stores, are implicated in low-level and
high-level criminality.
The
"Poly-Criminal" Model: These shops are often
"poly-criminal," meaning they engage in a mix of illegal activities
simultaneously, such as selling illicit vapes and tobacco, illegal
working/renting, and money laundering.
Criminal
Profits: Operation Machinize 2 (conducted in late 2025) resulted in over 920
arrests, with more than £10.7 million in suspected criminal proceeds seized,
including illegal tobacco, vapes, and cash.
Money
Laundering: These businesses serve as a method for organized crime groups to
launder money, part of an estimated £12 billion in illicit cash generated
annually in the UK.
Exploitation
& Drugs: Investigations have linked these shops to serious crimes,
including human trafficking, forced labor, prostitution, and the sale of
illegal drugs.
"Whack-a-Mole"
Enforcement: Law enforcement describes tackling the issue as a
"whack-a-mole" scenario, where shops close down only to reappear
elsewhere under a new name.
Reasons
for the Shift
Vacant
Units: A decline in traditional retail and a high number of vacant units,
exacerbated by economic factors, have allowed criminals to occupy these spaces
easily.
Cash-Intensive
Businesses: Barbers and similar businesses are attractive to criminals because
they are "cash-rich," making it easier to mix illegal income with
legitimate cash sales.
Weak
Regulation: Limited powers for local authorities and reduced funding for
Trading Standards have made it difficult to combat the trend.
While the
majority of high street shops remain legitimate, the rise of these "dodgy
shops" is viewed by experts as a threat to the economic viability of town
centers and a significant challenge to public safety.
High Street mini-marts selling cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs, BBC secret filming reveals
High
Street mini-marts selling cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs, BBC secret
filming reveals
Ed
Thomas,UK editor,Patrick Clahaneand Rebecca Wearn
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62l429w2pko
Cocaine,
cannabis, laughing gas and prescription pills are being offered for sale in
mini-marts on UK High Streets, a BBC investigation can reveal.
They were
readily offered to our undercover researchers who secretly filmed in shops
across four neighbouring West Midlands towns.
One
street we visited was described as "lawless" by an anonymous law
enforcement source.
Just a
few miles away, in a town where we found illegal drugs being sold in shops,
legitimate businesses told us they had been intimidated by gangs - and
witnessed knife and gun violence.
Across
the country, shopfronts are being exploited by organised criminal gangs that
have gained a foothold pushing illegal drugs, say both the National Crime
Agency (NCA) and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI).
We
analysed dozens of recent local news reports as part of our ongoing
investigation into criminal activity on UK High Streets. From Bideford in
Devon, to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, to Belfast in Northern Ireland - we found
that drugs, including crystal meth and heroin, had been found in more than 70
shops and linked premises.
Responding
to our findings in the West Midlands and more widely, a senior Labour MP is now
calling on the government to act urgently. "We can't restore our High
Streets unless we take out the cancer of organised crime," says Liam
Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Committee.
The
government is working with police, the NCA and Trading Standards to "take
the strongest possible action against these criminal businesses", a
spokesperson for the Home Office said. West Midlands Police said it would
always work with partners "to act on complaints about illegal drugs sales,
anti-social behaviour, and crime and disorder".
"I've
got weed, coke, everything. Whatever you want, I can sort you out," said a
man behind the counter at a mini-mart in Cradley Heath.
We had
come to the Black Country town as part of our year-long investigation. A law
enforcement whistleblower had told us that drug gangs were out of control along
its 300m stretch of High Street.
When
asked, it took just seconds for the man behind the counter of the shop - called
Cradley Market - to supply our researcher with 3.5g of cannabis for £30.
Handing
money over to criminals is not something we do lightly - but in this instance
we decided there was a public interest in carrying out the test purchases.
Our
researcher was able to buy cannabis from the shop on two separate visits.
Past
shelves of fizzy drinks, sweets and nappies, he was taken to the back of the
shop and handed a small bag of cannabis from a rucksack by the man, who said
his name was Akwa.
When our
researcher asked if he could buy cocaine, Akwa immediately made a call to get
some. A couple of hours later, a gram of cocaine was delivered to the shop
which Akwa sold for £95.
While we
were in the shop, Akwa showed us a selection of pictures of prescription drugs
on his phone for sale - inviting our researcher to take photos in case he knew
anyone who might be interested.
The offer
included pregabalin, a prescription drug used to treat anxiety, nerve pain and
epilepsy. Its misuse has been linked to a sharp increase in deaths.
Akwa
denied any wrongdoing when we later confronted him. When asked about selling
drugs, he said he did not know what we were talking about, before asking us to
leave.
We put
our findings to the local authority. A spokesperson said Sandwell Council was
working with police to tackle illegal activity.
Less than
three miles away, in the neighbouring borough of Dudley, organised crime gangs
have taken hold of some of its High Streets, the Trading Standards lead there
says.
The sale
of illegal drugs, alongside counterfeit cigarettes and illegal vapes, is the
worst it has been in 20 years, Kuldeep Maan told us.
During
our research in the borough, we observed so-called "spotters" outside
mini-marts - on the lookout, we were told, for potential law enforcement raids.
Our team was also followed and photographed by mini-mart workers on Dudley High
Street.
Maan says
he shut down 39 shops for selling illegal cigarettes in Dudley in 12 months,
but during raids he also repeatedly found cannabis, cocaine, nitrous oxide, and
fake and foreign prescription drugs.
Visits to
shops in two towns in the borough, Lye and Brierley Hill, filmed by our
undercover researchers, resulted in offers of cannabis, cannabis vapes and
nitrous oxide.
A class C
drug commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide can cause brain damage when
inhaled. It is used legally in the catering industry and other sectors, but is
illegal to possess or supply with the intent to inhale it for recreational use.
In Lye,
four shops offered us illegal cigarettes and laughing gas. A 10-minute drive
away in Brierley Hill we were twice offered cannabis at IK Convenience. A shop
worker showed us illegal cannabis vapes costing £20 each.
The shop
did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.
When we
asked about cannabis in another Brierley Hill shop, called Best Choice, the man
behind the counter directed us to a flat above where we were twice able to buy
the drug, from a man and woman.
The flat
and the shop have the same landlord, we discovered. He told us he was
"shocked" to hear from the BBC, had "no prior knowledge of any
alleged sale of cannabis" and had notified the police.
The BBC
was poised to confront the cannabis sellers in the flat but withdrew for safety
reasons when two large pitbull-type dogs without collars or leads appeared.
We
approached the tenants for comment and were contacted by someone on their
behalf, who denied the allegations.
Laughing
gas sold to children
Maan told
us he is investigating increasing numbers of reports of laughing gas being sold
to children, across the borough of Dudley.
We found
nitrous oxide readily available in the heart of Dudley town centre.
Inside
Dawood Grocery store, the shopkeeper asked our undercover researcher how many
bottles of gas he wanted, before handing over a plastic bag with some balloons
in and being told to wait outside on a nearby street corner. Balloons are
filled with the gas, which is then inhaled.
A few
minutes later, a hooded man arrived, took our £25 in cash and handed over a
nitrous oxide canister without saying a word. We were twice able to buy the gas
in this way from the shop.
Another
local business owner, who did not want to be named, told us they regularly
witnessed people inhaling laughing gas, having bought it from Dawood.
Dawood
Grocery denies all the allegations made by the BBC.
Merz and Klingbeil: Quality time in the heath
Merz and
Klingbeil: Quality time in the heath
By Hans
von der Burchard
April 30,
2026 7:00 am CET
Berlin
Playbook
Von HANS
VON DER BURCHARD
https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/berlin-playbook/merz-und-klingbeil-quality-time-in-der-heide/
With
MAXIMILIAN STASCHEIT
Moin
Berlin. Hans von der Burchard writes here.
It was
considered a minimum expectation, but the first big step has been taken in
health and budget. Now Friedrich Merz and Lars Klingbeil want to try a new
beginning and defy the prophecies of doom of an imminent coalition breakup.
More on that in a moment.
Meanwhile,
Günter Sautter and other top diplomats are looking spellbound at Washington and
Tehran. Will the missiles soon fly again after today's end of King Charles' US
state visit? Or will Trump tighten his naval blockade? Gordon also talks about
this with Anne McElvoy in the Playbook Podcast.
Also in
today's playbook: Donald Trump is considering a troop reduction in Germany, the
Left Party is wrestling with its course, Nina Warken is speaking in Thuringia,
and the Mercosur agreement is coming into force.
PAGE ONE
FRIEDRICH
AND LARS: Yesterday evening, 7:45 p.m. at the Forellenhof in Walsrode in the
Heidekreis. The SPD leader has invited the CDU chairman to dinner in his
constituency: a toast to the first reform hurdles that have been overcome, but
above all an open debate on what is not going on in the coalition — and with
the two.
A bit of
peace at the trout pond: In the Instagram video, the two are harmonious.
Klingbeil leads the chancellor across the grounds, who praises: "Very
nice." Here, a counter-narrative to the current pessimistic mood is to be
set.
The
location is no coincidence. The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor are also
spending this morning together — about 50 kilometers further east at the
Munster military training area, where the army is demonstrating its operational
capabilities (Merz, who served in contrast to Klingbeil, also knows from
Norway).
So a lot
of quality time in the heath, and that's what it needs. Next week, the
black-red coalition will celebrate its first anniversary (or will it reach it
with difficulty?), but the trusting closeness between Merz and Klingbeil has
been missing recently. Quite different from a year ago, when the two were
suddenly on a first-name basis during the coalition negotiations at the end of
March 2025.
And now?
They make a name for themselves with yelling instead of team play. Already last
fall, Merz warned the Union parliamentary group to be careful with criticism of
the vice chancellor: He was "very sensitive." It was only moderately
well received by the latter.
Klingbeil
is trying to defuse the situation: "My relationship of trust with the
Chancellor is unrestricted," he said yesterday. It is "completely
okay" that coalition partners have different positions and discuss
passionately - especially in such times of crisis. "I wouldn't
overestimate such things at all."
Merz also
plays it down: "I'm not yelling at anyone," said the chancellor.
There are "of course also discussions from time to time, including
contentious discussions."
But
another story is being circulated anonymously: Doubts about the coalition (and
the chancellor) are said to be growing in Merz's environment, Paul Ronzheimer
and Filip Piatov report.
Close
associates would perceive Merz as erratic and easily influenced, and there
would be conflicts with confidants such as Thorsten Frei. Internally, the vote
of confidence is already being considered.
The polls
fuel the nervousness: After all, the AfD is already at 27 percent in Forsa —
five percentage points ahead of the CDU/CSU. This puts the opposition leader
dangerously close to 30 percent and threatens to leave the Union behind. And
this before the important elections in autumn.
Merz
knows: The citizens want action, not dispute. "The next reform will follow
in just a few weeks, namely the reform of social long-term care insurance. Then
the reform of the statutory pension insurance will follow in the summer and a
tax reform over the turn of the year," he said yesterday during his visit
to East Frisia.
Speaking
of reform announcements: In the Spiegel interview, Merz tries to gloss over the
fact that he looked a bit bad when Klingbeil gave his big reform speech at
Bertelsmann. "I knew that he was giving this speech, and I was happy to
leave it to him after the election result in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was
difficult for him."
On the
other hand, there is criticism of this interview statement: "No chancellor
before me has had to endure something like this."
Too much
self-pity? Too much frustration about Donald Trump's Iran war, which is
destroying all the economic upswing that Merz would have so urgently needed?
Isabel Cademartori recalls that Olaf Scholz "did not preach crying".
It is
always these impulsive statements that slip out of Merz (and with which he has
a certain similarity to Trump in this respect), but which have just gotten him
into real trouble with the US president.
Latest
development: "The US is currently examining and evaluating a possible
reduction in the troop presence in Germany," Trump wrote in the evening.
"A decision is to be made shortly."
What
hurdles make the idea doubtful — today in our US newsletter DC Decoded.
Merz
praises in Der Spiegel: "I can indeed get even better there." This
afternoon comes the first exam: After the troop visit in Munster, he travels to
the pretty Hanseatic city of Salzwedel, where he answers questions from
citizens on the "Day of Local Journalism".
This date
is then without a Klingbeil. But before the two say goodbye in Münster, Merz
would still have the opportunity for a gesture on his part: to invite the vice
chancellor to the Sauerland.
TRANSATLANTIC
MARKETS
REACT TO TRUMP THREAT: Brent oil reached its highest price since 2022 at over
$119 last night, after Trump had previously posted an AI picture of himself
with a gun in his hand and the words "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY" on Truth
Social. He wrote that Iran should "better come to its senses soon".
UNUSUALLY
POLITICAL: King Charles spoke more clearly than usual during his state visit to
Washington, Anne McElvoy analyzes in the Playbook Podcast. Instead of the usual
restraint, he named the challenges for democracies and asked the question of
"how we act now" – without directly attacking Trump.
Much
applause: This is well received in Washington, even across party lines. The
decisive factor is whether Trump actually makes adjustments on Ukraine or trade
— or whether the visit ends up being just "for the souvenir cabinet,"
McElvoy said.
BENDLERBLOCK
EMBRACE
ATTEMPT: Despite the palpable political alienation between Germany and the USA,
military proximity is to grow. As our colleagues Ibrahim Naber and Paul McLeary
report, the Bundeswehr will bring a US colonel directly into the Army Command
from October.
So much
closeness is unusual even for exchange programs: Army Inspector Christian
Freuding speaks of "mutual, deep trust." Read more here.
NO EXTRA
MONEY FOR THE PORTS: Boris Pistorius is speaking today (virtually) at the
maritime conference in Emden. There, the seaports are campaigning for more
federal funds and emphasising their national importance: not only for the
economy, but also for Germany's security.
Why the
Chancellor rejected the request for more money yesterday for the time being,
you can read today in Pro Industrie & Handel.
PARTIES
QUESTION
MARKS AT THE LEFT PARTY: The party is bursting with strength nationwide with
twelve percent in Forsa (on a par with the SPD) — but is at odds with its
power-political orientation.
With
reservations: Taking responsibility can "mean governing, but that can also
mean rejecting a rotten compromise," Ines Schwerdtner explained at the
Berlin party conference last week.
In
Berlin, on the other hand, mayoral candidate Elif Eralp wants to govern at all
costs: She is starting the election campaign with a packed program from the
luxury villa tax to the "property question".
In
Baden-Württemberg, where the Left Party failed to reach the five percent, the
party decides to commit to the radical opposition. Compromises with
"pro-capitalist parties" emptied the core, according to the
resolution. The applicant was the Left Youth, which has recently attracted
attention with anti-Israel resolutions.
This is
given weight by personnel: Luigi Pantisano, candidate to succeed party
co-leader Jan van Aken, comes from Baden-Württemberg. He is concerned with
"content instead of ministerial posts".
In the
east, the situation is different: In Saxony, the Left Party is in opposition –
but has a say in the decision. The background is the minority government under
Kretschmer, which organizes majorities without the AfD and relies on a
"consultation mechanism" with the Greens, the Left and BSW.
And then
there is Saxony. Before the election in September, the Left Party is relying on
case-by-case cooperation, also with the CDU. My world colleague Kevin Culina
reports more on this here.
BAND OF
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
FROM THE
CABINET TO THE PROVINCES: Following the presentation of her statutory health
insurance reform, Nina Warken travelled to the Thuringian village of
Mechterstädt yesterday. The minister had invited to a citizens' dialogue there,
our world colleague Jan Alexander Casper was there.
Admittedly:
"24 hours ago, I wasn't quite sure how the day would go today," said
Warken. It was a "short night", "also for the employees".
In the
lion's den: She knows that the austerity package is "terrible" for
those present, Warken said in view of the many nurses in the audience. But the
care budget and tariff refinancing were "things" that "you can
do if you have money in the system". Now, however, it is "simply no
longer possible".
PHISHING
TRIP: The Ministry of Economic Affairs has confirmed at the request of Josh
Groeneveld that employee data was stolen by the signal phishing attacks.
However, the ministry does not want to name the number of those affected.
Safety
first: The recommendations of the BSI and other responsible security bodies
would be taken into account and implemented in the ministry, it added.
"Accompanying this, awareness of the issue has been taking place within
the house since the beginning of the attacks."
GROUP
LEVEL
TINKERED
WITH YOUR CV? AfD MP Heinrich Koch makes several misleading statements about
his Bundeswehr career in his CV on his own as well as the Bundestag website and
on his social media channels, reports our Welt colleague Frederik Schindler.
According
to this, his statements suggest decades of active service as well as continuous
military activity in the Bundeswehr — but the reality is somewhat different.
Frederik
and Pauline von Pezold discuss what he has to say in his defense in the current
episode of Inside AfD.
COUNTRY
POINTS
WEGNER
CRASH: In a new Infratest poll, the Berlin CDU loses more than 9 percent and
with 19 percent is only just ahead of the Greens, the Left and the AfD, all of
which come to 18 percent. Quite far behind in 5th place: the SPD.
The
federal government is to blame: Similar to NRW, the Social Democrats apparently
see the reason for this in federal politics. "I'm losing trust right
now," says mayoral candidate Steffen Krach in the Playbook Podcast. This
is "very dangerous" in view of rising AfD ratings.
The
coalition must now "move towards each other". At the same time, he
calls for relief at petrol stations and rents.
German finance minister doesn’t rule out emergency borrowing as ‘Trump’s irresponsible war’ bites
German
finance minister doesn’t rule out emergency borrowing as ‘Trump’s irresponsible
war’ bites
An
emergency declaration would allow the German government to get around
constitutional debt limits.
April 29,
2026 4:04 pm CET
By
Geoffrey Smith
Germany
will borrow like never before over the next four years — and may have to raise
yet more money to cope with the strains of U.S. President Donald Trump’s
“irresponsible war” in Iran, center-left Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said
Wednesday.
"We
will need to continue to monitor closely how this war affects our economic
development and the overall state of our country," Klingbeil said in
Berlin in response to a question about whether Germany’s centrist coalition
government is prepared to declare an emergency that would allow for additional
borrowing.
While
Klingbeil said the German government has no concrete plans for such a move, he
did not entirely rule out an emergency declaration that would permit the
government to set aside remaining constitutional limits on borrowing, given the
extreme uncertainty facing Europe’s largest economy.
Klingbeil’s
comments are likely to irritate his coalition partners in German Chancellor
Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, who have rejected calls from the left for
additional borrowing. The conservatives are under pressure from the far-right
Alternative for Germany (AfD) party — now leading in many national polls —
which has frequently attacked the chancellor for taking on hundreds of billions
of euros of debt in an effort to stimulate growth.
Berlin is
now putting the defibrillators on an economy facing a fourth straight year of
stagnation. It will borrow nearly €200 billion next year under the outline of a
budget draft agreed on Tuesday by ministers, and another €600 billion over the
next three years.
Of that,
some €85 billion will be borrowed by new "special funds" earmarked
for spending on infrastructure and defense, as Berlin tries to make up for
decades of underinvestment in both areas.
At the
start of the year, the government had to reckon with over 1 percent growth, but
Klingbeil lamented that it had had to halve its forecast due to "Trump’s
irresponsible war on Iran and the worldwide energy price shock that it has
caused."
"This
is not our war, but we are massively feeling its effects," he said.
Klingbeil
also said that the tariffs raised by the U.S. President last year are having a
profound effect on Germany’s export-driven economy. His new budget aimed to
make the economy "more resilient" and looked forward to a time
"when we don’t have to let ourselves be blackmailed by the USA," he
added.
The
budget outline also incorporates a broad range of measures to cut spending and
raise money in other ways to plug various financing gaps, notably in the
country’s health system, which is set to receive the proceeds of a new tax on
sugary drinks.
Johanna
Treeck contributed reporting.
ollowing an unusually sharp public exchange, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is attempting to stabilize relations with Donald Trump.
Germany’s
Merz tries to downplay row with Trump
Following
an unusually sharp public exchange, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is
attempting to stabilize relations with Donald Trump. The friction began after
Merz criticized the U.S. strategy regarding the Iran war, leading to a personal
and strategic clash between the two leaders.
The Core
Conflict
The row
was sparked on April 27, 2026, when Merz described the U.S. military engagement
in Iran as "planless" and stated that the United States was being
"humiliated" by the Iranian leadership. Merz expressed deep concern
over the war's "massive impact" on Germany's economic performance and
energy supply.
Trump
responded aggressively on Truth Social on April 28, 2026, claiming Merz
"doesn't know what he's talking about" and falsely suggesting the
Chancellor was indifferent to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Trump also criticized
Germany's economic record, stating the country is doing "poorly".
Merz’s
Attempt to Downplay the Row
By April
29, 2026, Merz shifted to a more conciliatory tone to prevent further
diplomatic damage:
"Good
Speaking Terms": At a press conference in Berlin, Merz insisted that his
personal relationship with Trump remains strong and that they are still on
"good speaking terms".
Clarification
of Intent: He clarified that his remarks were intended as an expression of
"doubts from the beginning" regarding the military actions, rather
than a personal attack.
Diplomatic
Channels: Merz highlighted ongoing "constructive discussions" between
the two governments, noting that the German foreign minister had just returned
from high-level talks in New York.
Escalation:
Troop Withdrawal Threats
Despite
Merz's efforts to de-escalate, the situation remains tense. On April 29, 2026,
Trump announced that the United States is officially reviewing a possible
reduction of troops in Germany. Germany currently hosts over half of the 68,000
active-duty U.S. personnel stationed in Europe, making this a significant
threat to German and European security.
This
latest row has intensified Merz's existing calls for Europe to achieve
"independence" from the U.S. in defense and security matters.
Germany’s Merz tries to downplay row with Trump
Germany’s
Merz tries to downplay row with Trump
The
chancellor’s attempt to steady transatlantic ties follows a recent public spat
between the two leaders over the Iran war.
April 29,
2026 2:40 pm CET
By Milena
Wälde
https://www.politico.eu/article/friedrich-merz-downplay-row-donald-trump/
German
Chancellor Friedrich Merz sought to cool tensions Wednesday with U.S. President
Donald Trump, insisting their relationship remains strong despite a sharp
public spat over the Iran war.
“The
personal relationship between the American president and me remains, in my
view, as good as ever,” Merz said at a press conference. “We are still, to put
it in American English, on good speaking terms.”
The
chancellor framed his recent criticism of the conflict in the Middle East as a
response to the war’s fallout, rather than Trump’s leadership. “We are
suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of … the
closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, pointing to rising energy costs and
economic strain.
The
conciliatory tone follows a direct attack from Trump late Tuesday. “The
Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a
Nuclear Weapon,” the U.S. president wrote on Truth Social. “He doesn’t know
what he’s talking about!”
Trump
warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would leave “the whole World … held hostage,”
before turning to Germany’s economy: “No wonder Germany is doing so poorly,
both Economically, and otherwise!”
Merz’s
attempt to steady the relationship comes after he sharpened his position
regarding Washington.
When the
war began on Feb. 28, the chancellor broadly backed America’s aims — but as the
conflict dragged on, his tone has hardened.
On
Monday, he said during a school visit in western Germany that the U.S. was
being “humiliated” by Iran and had entered the war without a viable exit
strategy, comparing the situation to past issues in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Merz also
lamented that the conflict was detrimental to Germany’s economy, saying that it
was “costing us a great deal of money.”
Berlin
has also pushed back operationally. Germany rejected U.S. calls for
transatlantic military involvement, insisting the conflict “is not NATO’s war,”
and has only offered a limited role — including minesweepers to help secure the
Strait of Hormuz — once fighting ends.
What were you saying, Mr Merz?
From 2h
ago
04.01 EDT
Morning
opening: What were you saying, Mr Merz?
Jakub
Krupa
US
president Donald Trump threatened to reduce the number of troops deployed in
Germany last night, after chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week that the US
was being “humilitated” by Iran.
Trump
said the US was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in
Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time.”
Earlier
yesterday, he posted a separate criticism of Merz’s Germany, saying:
“The
Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a
Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear
Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I am doing something with Iran,
right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago. No
wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise! President
DONALD J. TRUMP”
His
comments come just hours after Trump’s phone call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin,
and – which is likely to be of significance - after Merz repeatedly criticised
Trump’s decision to start the Iran war and partially blamed it for Germany’s
worse than expected economic results.
At a
recent meeting with high school students, Merz said that the US was “being
humiliated” by Iran’s leadership through taking part in negotiations that come
to nothing, and that the war “is costing us a lot of money … and a lot of
economic strength.”
“This war
against Iran has a direct impact on our economic performance, and for that
reason it must be brought to an end as soon as possible,” he said.
Ouch.
He still
insisted that his relationship with Trump was good though, but not sure that’s
the case any more.
Let’s see
if we are going to hear a reaction from Germany today.
Elsewhere,
I will look out for comments on Trump’s phone call with Putin – including his
suggestions that Ukraine is “defeated” and that Putin was working on some sort
of temporary ceasefire.
It’s
Thursday, 30 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good
morning.
Trump Threatens to Pull Troops From Germany as He Lashes Out at Chancellor
Trump
Threatens to Pull Troops From Germany as He Lashes Out at Chancellor
The
comments came after the German chancellor said that Iran has “humiliated” the
United States.
By David
E. Sanger
David E.
Sanger has covered five American presidents. In more than four decades at The
Times he has served as a foreign correspondent and Washington correspondent. He
writes often about the revival of superpower conflict.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/29/us/politics/trump-germany-us-troops.html
April 29,
2026
President
Trump declared on Wednesday evening that he is “studying and reviewing the
possible reduction of Troops in Germany,” in what appears to be retaliation for
comments by Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, that Iran has “humiliated”
the United States.
Even
before Mr. Merz made his comments to a group of German students, the United
States had hinted that it may review its troop levels in Europe, despite the
continuing concerns that Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, may attempt to
test whether NATO would truly come to the aid of one of its smaller, newer
members, like Estonia or Latvia.
Germany
is the hub of the American presence in Europe, with about 35,000 American
troops based there. It is also the center for medical treatment, aircraft
arming and maintenance, and the headquarters for American forces in Europe.
Italy houses 12,000 American troops, and the United Kingdom about 10,000, and
all three have been critical way stations for forces and aircraft flying to the
Middle East to support Operation Epic Fury, the attack the United States and
Israel launched against Iran.
Military
commanders, already feeling stretched, have been clear about the risks for the
United States in cutting troops at the major bases across Europe. But for Mr.
Trump, the decision may well hinge on his feelings about Mr. Merz, a former
investment banker who has nurtured a relationship with him — but who has been
increasingly critical about a war he has viewed as unwise and possibly illegal.
The
blowup began when Mr. Merz spoke at a high school assembly in western Germany.
“The Americans obviously have no strategy,” he said, “and the problem with such
conflicts is always that you don’t just have to go in, you also have to get out
again. We saw that very painfully in Afghanistan for 20 years. We saw that in
Iraq.”
“So this
situation is, as I said, at least ill-considered, and I do not see at the
moment what strategic exit the Americans are choosing now.”
Germany,
like other allies, was frozen out of the Trump administration’s deliberations
about going into Iran, and then showed no enthusiasm for joining the fight,
either individually or as part of NATO, the alliance created after World War II
to contain the Soviet Union. Mr. Trump reacted with fury, suggesting anew that
he was reconsidering America’s participation in the alliance, though he could
not formally pull out without the approval of Congress.
He was
particularly incensed by Mr. Merz’s comments and accused him of siding with
Iran. “The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to
have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Mr. Trump
wrote in a social media post. For good measure, he added: “No wonder Germany is
doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!”
Mr. Trump
did not say who was conducting the review, though he did say a decision would
be “made over the next short period of time.” Sometimes he moves on to other
grudges without following through on his threats; minutes after posting his
threat to Germany, he attacked Jerome Powell, the outgoing chairman of the
Federal Reserve, for saying that he would remain in his post as a member of the
Fed even as his time as chairman ends. But his anger at NATO, and his
particular focus on Mr. Merz, makes it likely there will be some move to
express his displeasure.
David E.
Sanger covers the Trump administration and a range of national security issues.
He has been a Times journalist for more than four decades and has written four
books on foreign policy and national security challenges.
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