Joe Biden Reveals Angela Merkel Privately Called Donald Trump 'Emotional' and Questioned His Fascination With Putin

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel privately questioned Donald Trump's admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and described the former U.S. president as overly emotional, according to Joe Biden's forthcoming memoir, Promise Me, America.

Biden writes that Merkel shared her concerns during conversations after he entered the White House in 2021. She reportedly told him that Trump's behavior during meetings appeared influenced by his personal feelings rather than the facts being discussed.

Merkel also recalled that Trump had declined to shake her hand during official encounters. She questioned his interest in Putin and other authoritarian leaders, with Biden quoting her as saying, "That was a mystery I could not unravel."

The memoir, published by Little, Brown and Company, is scheduled to be released Nov. 17, 2026.

Merkel's reported comments offer further insight into the strained relationship between the former German chancellor and Trump during his first presidency.

The German leader served from 2005 to 2021 and frequently disagreed with Trump over NATO, international trade, climate policy, and Germany's reliance on Russian energy.

Their tensions were particularly visible during Merkel's March 2017 visit to the White House. When photographers encouraged the two leaders to shake hands in the Oval Office, Merkel turned toward Trump and asked whether he wanted to do so. Trump remained seated with his hands clasped.

In her 2024 memoir, Freedom, Merkel reflected on her early attempts to establish a working relationship with Trump. She recalled initially treating him as "someone completely normal" before describing their interactions as "a competition: you or me."

Trump also repeatedly criticized Germany for falling short of NATO's 2% defense-spending target and threatened tariffs on German automobiles. He opposed Berlin's support for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, arguing that the project would leave Germany too dependent on Russian energy.

Their disagreements extended beyond Germany's defense spending and energy policies.

Merkel opposed Trump's decisions to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal. Following a contentious G7 summit in Sicily in 2017, she suggested Europe could no longer depend entirely on other countries.

Biden's memoir revisits the challenge of restoring confidence among traditional U.S. allies after Trump's "America First" approach. He writes that reassuring European leaders about Washington's commitment to international partnerships was an important part of his early presidency.

Merkel was approaching the end of her 16-year tenure as chancellor during Biden's first year in office and remained an influential voice in European affairs.

The memoir also examines Biden's efforts to convince European allies and Ukrainian officials that Putin was preparing a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Biden writes that some officials initially doubted Russia would launch a major assault, believing its military objectives might be limited to the Donbas region.

He says his administration eventually shared intelligence about Russian preparations, including an alleged plan to stage a propaganda video that could justify an invasion. Biden compares the proposed production to an elaborate Hollywood film.

The former president also recounts sending CIA Director Bill Burns to Moscow in November 2021 and speaking directly with Putin by phone on Dec. 7.

Biden also discusses his evolving relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He writes that he initially questioned whether Zelensky had the experience and resilience needed to lead during a major crisis, but later praised his wartime leadership.

The memoir describes tensions as Zelensky repeatedly pushed Washington for additional weapons and financial assistance.

Another major subject is the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Biden writes that officials had expected the Afghan government and Kabul to remain standing for at least six months after American troops departed. Instead, the government collapsed within days, and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

Biden also recalls meeting families of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Abbey Gate bombing during the evacuation. He writes that some relatives held him personally responsible for their deaths and told him they would never forgive him.