Merkel: Will find compromise with Trump
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would work on preserving EU-US relations and find common ground on military spending and trade issues with US president Donald Trump. Merkel said "it is best for all of us if we work together based on rules, common values and joint action." She said compromises and solutions can be found "when we exchange ideas with respect."
French president slams Trump over Merkel criticism
French President Francois Hollande rebuffed US President-elect Donald Trump after the latter criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal migrant policy. "[Europe] has no need for outside advice to tell it what it has to do," Hollande said. Merkel said she won't comment on Trump's statement before his January 20 inauguration.
What Trump said
"I have great respect for her [Merkel] … I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all these illegals and taking all these people where ever they come from and nobody really knows where they come from," said Trump.
Kerry calls Trump's comments "inappropriate"
"I thought, frankly, it was inappropriate for a president-elect of the United States to be stepping into the politics of other countries in a quite direct manner," the outgoing Secretary of State John Kerry said. Kerry said after Trump's inauguration, he will be responsible for the US-Germany alliance. Kerry described Merkel as courageous and one of Europe's strongest leaders.
Germany most open to migrants in Europe
Under Merkel, Germany has become the most open country in Europe to asylum seekers and took in over a million refugees in 2015.
Trump's hard line stance on immigration
Trump said a wall will be built along the US-Mexico border to keep illegal immigrants from entering the US. Trump said he won't enforce the previously proposed outright ban Muslim immigrants. His team indicated that individuals from countries having ties to terrorism would be strongly vetted based on religion. The Trump administration won't ban the US's refugee program but would screen them more strictly.
