BREAKIMG: 🇩🇪 Former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel: “Trump does not see politics as a service to the common good, but as a game of absolute power. I was surprised by his fascination with authoritarian leaders. He seemed to look at figures like Vladimir Putin or Kim Jong-un with a mix of envy and admiration—men who did not have to answer to parliaments, who did not face the scrutiny of a free press, or the constraints of an independent judicial system.”

In her long-awaited political autobiography Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021, Merkel offers open reflections on her years dealing with global leaders, including Trump and others with authoritarian reputations. The book was published at the end of 2024 and has generated worldwide discussion.

🧠 First Impressions and Diplomatic Style
Merkel writes that when she first met Trump in 2017 at the White House, she initially misjudged him:
She tried to respond to a famously awkward moment — when Trump avoided a handshake request — in a diplomatic way, but later realised it was a deliberate gesture meant to attract attention.

She found Trump’s approach to diplomacy different from hers, seeing interactions through a practical, transactional lens — which she links to his years as a real-estate developer.

🇷🇺 Fascination with Powerful Leaders
One recurring theme in Merkel’s memoir is her impression of how Trump spoke about and perceived other world leaders:
“He was clearly fascinated by the Russian president,” she writes, adding that in her experience, he was “captivated by politicians with autocratic and dictatorial traits.”

This doesn’t mean she claims Trump endorsed dictators, but that he seemed intrigued by the power they held — especially figures like Vladimir Putin — who don’t have to answer to parliaments or independent courts.

In a related interview with CNN, Merkel also told interviewer Christiane Amanpour that Trump’s comments about these leaders reflected “a fascination with the sheer power” they could exert, at times suggesting he wished he could override democratic checks and balances such as parliaments.

🌍 Views on Competition, Cooperation, and Democracy
In her memoir, Merkel contrasts her own governing philosophy with what she saw in Trump’s style:
She said Trump tended to think of international relations in zero-sum terms: if one country wins, another loses.

By contrast, Merkel has long emphasised multilateral cooperation — the idea that agreements between nations can bring shared benefits.

She also expresses concern for democratic norms and institutions, suggesting that Trump’s admiration for decisive leaders posed a challenge in a democratic context.

🗳️ Democratic Values vs. Personal Style
Although Merkel served with Trump and dealt with him as German Chancellor for four years, she has been frank about their differences in political values:
In conversation and in writing, she notes how Trump’s approaches to rule-making and power differed from the democratic norms she defended throughout her own leadership.

The memoir also expresses her personal hope for a different leadership outcome in later U.S. elections — something rare for a former leader to state so openly.