Principle vs power: Merz, Trump & the Iran War | Berlin Briefing Podcast

The US‑Israeli strikes on Iran have pushed the Middle East into a new, dangerous phase — and left Germany stuck between principle and power. Chancellor Friedrich Merz flew to Washington anyway, where Donald Trump dominated their Oval Office appearance but praised Germany for granting access to US bases and treating Berlin as a reliable partner. Merz avoided calling the strikes illegal, even as critics argue they lack a solid basis in international law. Berlin Briefing host Nina Haase and her guests Michaela Küfner and Ines Pohl discuss the strategic calculation: challenge Trump and risk losing influence, or stay aligned and hope to shape what comes after the conflict — despite Germany having little say in how the operation unfolds.
In this episode, we break down Germany’s bind: stick to international law or play hard‑nosed power politics in a world where legal arguments seem to matter less and alliances matter more.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:40 Merz’s dilemma
03:25 Pedro Sanchez
04:33 Inside the Oval Office
06:15 The US and the Iran war
09:06 Spain
12:20 Trump’s Oval Office Press conferences
16:40 Divided Europe
19:00 Drones
19:40 International law
26:00 Viktor Orban
27:50 Behind the scenes
31:20 US Midterms
33:50 End
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