Donald Trump responds to Merkel comments... on Twitter
US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of Germany following Chancellor Angela Merkel's suggestion her country needs to adopt a more independent stance in world affairs.
Mr Trump posted a tweet on Tuesday saying: "We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for US. This will change."
Mr Trump rattled some in Europe with his statements on Nato last week.
We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017
Mrs Merkel said Germany's relations with the United States are of "outstanding importance" but it must engage with other key nations going forward.
She also suggested in the wake of the Trump visit that Europe's relationship with Washington had shifted significantly and reiterated her position that "we in Europe have to take our fate into our own hands."
Meanwhile, the White House communications director Michael Dubke has resigned.
White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway told the Associated Press that Mr Dubke handed in his resignation before US President Donald Trump left for his international trip earlier this month.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Ms Conway said Mr Dubke "made very clear that he would see through the president's international trip, and come to work every day and work hard even through that trip because there was much to do here back at the White House".
