Trump and Merz plan a trip to the Palatinate
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Chatter around German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) jetting off to Donald Trump's ancestral turf in Pfalz is buzzing, given the old pal's invitation to Trump's long-lost hometown of Bad Dürkheim. The Chancellor threw out the invite over the horn at the CDU Economic Conference in Berlin, warning Trump to get his dancing shoes ready: "I popped the question to him to visit Germany, step foot in his home base of Bad Dürkheim. And I'll tag along for the ride!"
Merz aimed that ask at Trump just a couple of days into his new role, chatting it up with Trump during their keynote 30-minute tittle-tattle over the phone. The roots of Trump's fam track back to the pint-sized wine village of Kallstadt on the German Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate, nestled within the district of Bad Dürkheim. Trump's ancestral banana split emigrated to the Big Apple at the tail end of the 19th century, leaving Germany in the dust. Merz, with his roots in the area from military service back in the 70s, ain't a stranger to the neck of the woods.
Merz also promised a rendezvous with Trump in Washington "before you can say Jack Robinson." During that sit-down, he'll put topics like NATO and the Ukraine conflict on the table, alongside other long-debated themes that have united the duo. Plus, he'll chat about current challenges the pair faces together, emphasizing the unity of the European Union, striving to keep Uncle Sam on deck, and showcasing the world at large is gearing up to defend itself.
When he ain't hobnobbing with Trump, Merz and his cohorts—French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk—spoke on the blower on Saturday. Merz expressed his unwavering dedication to maintaining transatlantic unity, insisting the old world's take-no-prisoners stance on defense is stronger than ever.
If Merz indeed does Scooby-Doo to Trump's ancestral hometown, these topics will likely dominate their conversation, ranging from trade relations and defense spending to troop presence and the Ukraine war. But since the powers that be haven't been official about any hometown visits, we gotta pound sand on those potential topics for now.
Insights:- Merz and Trump's prior meeting in the Oval Office delved into topics like the Ukraine War and Russia, trade relations, troop presence in Germany, and defense spending[1][3][4]- If they meet in Bad Dürkheim, those same topics, including transatlantic unity and cooperation, could be on the table[1][3][4]- However, no official discussion of a visit to Bad Dürkheim has transpired yet[1]
- As Merz and Trump likely delve into discussions revolving around the Ukraine War and Russia, trade relations, troop presence in Germany, and defense spending during their meeting in Bad Dürkheim, these issues will intersect with policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news.
- In light of the ongoing war-and-conflicts around the world, the upcoming discourse between Merz and Trump might also touch upon the importance of transatlantic unity, cooperation, and defense strategies, further discussing the current challenges they face together and maintaining the EU as a unified front, which is a subject within politics, policy-and-legislation, and general-news.
