President Donald Trump praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her “tremendous success” and predicted a trade increase. | Eruc Lalmand/AFP/Getty Images Trump praises relationship with Germany after earlier attacking it

President Donald Trump, hours after lashing out at Germany, said Wednesday that the United States has a “tremendous relationship“ with the country.

“We have a very, very good relationship with the chancellor, we have a tremendous relationship with Germany,” Trump said during a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Brussels, adding that the two had a great meeting discussing military expenditure and trade.


Trump declared during a breakfast prior to the NATO summit that Germany is “totally controlled by Russia,” adding he thinks “it’s very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia, where you’re supposed to be guarding against Russia.”

The president was referencing a controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

In a separate appearance, Merkel hit back at Trump‘s accusation, saying that she experienced the Soviet occupation. The chancellor grew up in East Germany, which was a satellite state under the Soviet Union.

“It is good that we are independent today,” Merkel said.

Trump also praised Merkel for her “tremendous success” and predicted a trade increase.

“You have tremendous success and I congratulate you,“ he said to Merkel. “Tremendous success. And I believe that trade will increase and lots of other things will increase but we’ll see what happens over the next period of few months.“

Merkel said that Trump and her discussed migration and trade, according to a pool report. She also said that Germany was good partners with the U.S.