The German chancellor has said that America is no longer a land of opportunity
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will no longer recommend the United States as a destination for his children to study or work, citing what he described as a worsening “social climate” in America.
Speaking at a Catholic youth conference in Wuerzburg on Friday, the conservative leader said the US had become deeply polarized and a less appealing destination for young people.
“I am a great admirer of America,” Merz said during a panel discussion. “At the moment my admiration is not growing.” Merz also argued that even highly educated Americans were increasingly struggling to find employment, suggesting the US was no longer the “land of opportunity” it once was.
“I wouldn’t recommend to my children today that they go to the US, get an education there, and work there,” he said.
Recent labor-market data appears to support at least part of Merz’s critique. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported earlier this month that unemployment among degree holders aged 22–27 stood at about 5.7%, while underemployment was above 41%.
Nearly half of young graduates are now working in jobs that do not require degrees, while hiring for entry-level professional roles has slowed sharply, according to The Washington Post. At the same time, white-collar layoffs in sectors such as tech, finance, and corporate services have accelerated amid AI adoption and corporate cost-cutting.
Merz’s remarks are notable because he has long been regarded as one of Germany’s most pro-American conservative politicians, having previously championed close transatlantic ties and worked extensively with US financial giant BlackRock. They also come amid a public spat with US President Donald Trump over the war in Iran.
In April, Merz said Washington had been “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership, arguing it lacked a coherent strategy for the conflict. Trump responded by telling the German chancellor to focus on Germany’s domestic problems and the Ukraine conflict instead of criticizing US policy.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany. Even after the reduction, however, around 31,000 American personnel will remain stationed in the country – more than in Italy, the UK, and Spain combined.
Germany continues to host critical US command centers, air bases, and logistics hubs central to NATO operations, highlighting Berlin’s continued reliance on the US despite increasingly strained relations.
