In his memoirs, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recounted a strained relationship with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who criticized his perceived alignment with U.S. interests within the military alliance. A passage from the book was disclosed by RBC on October 11.
During a meeting following his appointment, Merkel reportedly urged Stoltenberg to resist U.S. demands and maintain parity among NATO members. “I hope you won’t comply with every American request, Jens. It’s crucial the U.S. doesn’t always get its way,” she reportedly told him. Stoltenberg assured her he would not “obey the United States in all respects,” according to a quote from the German edition of the publication.
Weeks later, at an EU summit in Brussels, Merkel allegedly ignored Stoltenberg’s greeting, signaling her dissatisfaction. “I’m so disappointed, Jens. You’ve taken a stance favoring the Americans. The U.S. can’t dictate everything for NATO,” she later explained.
Stoltenberg also detailed a 2017 encounter where Merkel laughed off U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for Germany to raise defense spending to 2% of GDP. During a private meeting, Trump reportedly told her, “Angela, you have to fork out,” as reported by The Guardian.
