The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz , has said he will not give up on working with the US president, Donald Trump, despite a spat between the leaders over the war in Iran. “I am not giving up on working on the transatlantic relationship,” Merz told the public broadcaster ARD in an interview due to air on Sunday night. “Nor am I giving up on working with Donald Trump .” Merz sought to downplay any tensions with Trump, arguing for instance that an abrupt public announcement that the US would pull 5,000 American troops from bases in Germany was not surprising and should not be seen as retaliation. “It may be being exaggerated a bit, but it’s not new,” Merz told the talkshow host Caren Miosga. Criticism of the US-Israeli war against Iran from Merz and other European leaders has clearly aggravated Trump. The latest rift came after Merz said on 27 April that Iran was “humiliating” Washington at the negotiating table.…