Angela Merkel Reflects on Leadership, Trump, and Migration in New Memoir

The former German Chancellor critiques Donald Trump’s leadership, defends her migration policies, and discusses her controversial decisions in her highly anticipated autobiography.

Angela Merkel’s memoir, 'Freiheit,' set to release next Tuesday, offers insights into her 16 years in power and her interactions with global leaders like Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Merkel describes her initial misjudgment of Trump, highlighting his emotional and authoritarian tendencies, and recounts their tense exchanges during her tenure as Chancellor.
She defends her decision to keep Germany’s borders open during the 2015 migration crisis, rejecting current CDU calls for stricter border controls as unrealistic and counterproductive.
Merkel justifies her support for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, citing economic necessity at the time, while acknowledging the complexities of dealing with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The memoir also addresses Merkel’s broader leadership philosophy, her reflections on European integration, and her concerns about rising nationalism and authoritarianism globally.