"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Europe must fundamentally reassess its assumptions about security and transatlantic relations following the return of US President Donald Trump, saying Washington’s security commitments could no longer be taken for granted. Speaking to a Christian Democrats rally in Bad Rappenau, Baden-Wurttemberg on Friday, the Chancellor outlined his vision for the country ahead of the local elections amid falling numbers in the polls. Merz said the course set by the new US administration marked a decisive shift. “Trump 2 is different from Trump 1,” he said. “Trump 2 now does what he says. And he generally follows his announcements with action. I advise all of us to take this seriously.” While stressing that the United States remained Germany’s most important partner, Merz cautioned that long-standing guarantees through NATO membership are fading. “The Americans are our most important partners in the world. They will, I hope at least, remain so,” he said, before warning that Europe must prepare for a future in which old security arrangements 'will no longer apply in this form.' He also described Germany’s post-war model in blunt terms: a strong workforce, cheap energy from Russia, low-cost intermediate goods from China and global exports — while 'the Americans took care of our security.' “That business model is over,” Merz concluded. “That business model no longer exists. And it will not return — regardless of how the situation develops in the United States, China or Russia.” Merz argued that regaining economic strength was essential if Germany is to finance its own defence and security needs, which he said now extended beyond external threats. “Defence and security are no longer just about external security — they are also about internal security,” he said, pointing to the creation of a National Security Council within the Federal Chancellery. Turning to domestic policy, Merz said Germany had also regained control over its immigration and asylum system following recent reforms. “Within just a few weeks, we have restored both order and humanity to Germany’s immigration and asylum policy,” he said, citing figures for 2025. According to Merz, asylum applications had fallen by more than 50 per cent compared with the previous year, and by as much as two-thirds compared with the year before that."