Got a Chat with Trump? Here's What Chancellor Merz Wants to Make Clear
Merz urges clarity from Trump on his stance.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is ready for his teatime tussle with US President Donald Trump in Washington, where German domestic politics could potentially be on the table. "If we delve into German domestic politics, why not?" he said ahead of their White House meeting. "But make no mistake, I'll lay it all out there if needed."
Trump's deputy JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have pointed fingers at Germany and other European allies, accusing them of stifling free speech and undermining parties like the AfD. Merz has constantly refuted foreign meddling in German domestic affairs, dismissing Vance's remarks in Munich as overstepping bounds. In DC, he reiterated that Berlin is equally careful when handling US domestic politics.
Politics
But why would Trump, known for his love of dramatic power plays in the Oval Office, be interested in German domestic matters? Merz has singled out the Ukraine conflict, trade policy, and NATO collaboration as the key topics. He's made it clear that Germany aims to field the mightiest conventional army in Europe. Trump, in his first term, had criticized Germany for skimping on defense spending. Merz reassures that he doesn't expect any breakthroughs on these three critical issues, but he's optimistic about the talk.
According to sources, Trump will receive Merz at around 5:30 PM CET outside the White House. A meeting in the Oval Office is scheduled immediately afterwards, with press present. Trump will then ask Merz to join him for lunch. Initially, Berlin was hoping Merz could kick-start their conversation in a private setting before facing the media.
Politics
State visits are always unpredictable with Trump. Can Merz weather his power plays? Since January, relations between Berlin and Washington have been off-kilter due to Trump's right-wing populist America First policy. This meeting between Merz and Trump is expected to smoothen the path for future collaboration between Germany and the US on international issues.
Sources: ntv.de, jki/dpa/rts/AFP
- Friedrich Merz
- Donald Trump
- AfD
- Washington
In the upcoming meeting with Donald Trump, Chancellor Friedrich Merz may find the discussion extending beyond general news to encompass German domestic politics, as Trump and his deputies have previously accused Germany of meddling in its allies' internal affairs. Apart from this potential concern, Merz has been tasked by the Commission to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, a matter that could also be of interest in the context of international collaboration on safety and health standards.
