Friedrich Merz’s criticism of Donald Trump last month reflected more than a moment of personal candour or a split between Berlin and the White House. It pointed to a broader shift under way among European leaders. Increasingly they are willing to publicly confront the Trump administration on issues ranging from Iran to Ukraine and European sovereignty.

The Trump administration’s ever-more erratic policies and the belief that they necessitate a more forceful response partly explains this shift.

The German chancellor directed his remarks at the war on Iran. He did not believe, he told an event at a school in his constituency, that Trump had a viable exit strategy. Moreover, Tehran’s clever diplomacy had “humiliated” the US. But Merz’s comments do not exist in isolation – they followed a series of tough interventions from European leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and even Giorgia Meloni.

The US’s attempt to acquire Greenland earlier this year crossed clear European red lines regarding the territorial integrity of a Nato ally and the right to self-determination of the Greenlandic people. So did attempts by Trump and his vice-president, JD Vance, to influence Hungary’s election in favour of........

© The Guardian