US President Donald Trump has said that Germany's trade and spending policies "very bad", intensifying a row between the longtime allies and immediately earning himself the moniker "destroyer of Western values" from a leading German politician.
As the war of words threatened to spin out of control, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other senior German politicians stressed the importance of Germany's Atlantic ties, with Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel suggesting the spat was just a rough patch.
Mr Trump took to Twitter to attack Germany, a day after Ms Merkel ramped up her doubts about the reliability of Washington as an ally.
We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017
Later Mr Trump's spokesman and the US ambassador to the United Nations said there were no problems in relations with Ms Merkel or NATO.
The tit-for-tat dispute escalated rapidly after Mr Trump, at back-to-back summits last week, criticised major NATO allies over their military spending and refused to endorse a global climate change accord.
Last Sunday, Chancellor Merkel showed the gravity of her concern about Washington's dependability under Mr Trump when she warned, at an election campaign event, that the times when Europe could fully rely on others were "over to a certain extent".
Those comments, which caused shock in Washington, vented Europe's frustration with Mr Trump on climate policy in particular.
And while German politicians sided with Ms Merkel, Mr Gabriel signalled that it was time for cooler heads to prevail.
Trump's communications director Dubke resigns
Meanwhile Mr Trump's communications director, Mike Dubke, is set to leave after three months in his White House post, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said this afternoon.
"He has expressed his desire to leave the White House and made very clear that he would see through the president's international trip," Ms Conway said in an interview on Fox News, referring to Mr Trump's first overseas trip to the Middle East and Europe that ended on Saturday.
Mr Dubke, a communications firm owner who was brought into the Trump administration in March, submitted his resignation on 18 May, though he has not set a last day on the job and is leaving on good terms, according to Axios News, which first reported his departure, citing a senior administration official.
His departure comes amid White House plans for a larger strategic shake-up to tackle head-on allegations involving communication between Russia and Mr Trump's presidential campaign, including a "war room" to combat mounting questions and multiple probes.
According to administration officials and persons close to Mr Trump, the president plans to bring in new aides to the White House, adding experienced political professionals including Mr Trump's former campaign manager.
The changes may also include more lawyers to handle the Russia probe as part of the effort to tackle a scandal that has threatened to consume Mr Trump's presidency.
Other potential changes are also expected to the White House communications office, according to Axios, including fewer on-camera briefings with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Mr Trump will also take more questions directly from the media, it reported.
In a tweet early this morning, Mr Trump criticised the Russia probes, writing: "Russian officials must be laughing at the U.S. & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News."
Russian officials must be laughing at the U.S. & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017
Ms Conway, on Fox News, also played down persistent rumours that Mr Spicer, who has been pilloried on comedy shows, was on his way out.
Mr Spicer served with White House chief of staff Reince Priebus when they both worked at the Republican National Committee.
Mr Priebus and White House adviser Steve Bannon have been laying the groundwork for the new "war room" that will also involve Mr Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, sources told Reuters.
Mr Dubke oversaw the White House communications office, which ran press and other outreach efforts. His appointment earlier this year came after Mr Trump's previous choice, Jason Miller, declined the job.
