Berlin Summit & Trump's Praise: How Merz Secures a Successful Oval Office Visit
Trump's Confidante in the White House: Transformation from Oval Office Contender into Triumphant Figure
A Take by Marie von den Benken
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The week's triumphant lion is nowhere to be found. Cool and collected, Friedrich Merz isn't only navigating a harmonious tête-à-tête with Donald Trump, but even scores a compliment from the American President. Now, Merz secures the spotlight as the prime mover on the political stage.
What a whirlwind week in the government district! Majestic weather in Berlin - and that's despite the Merz administration only gracing the capital for a month. The perfect timing for sharp-eyed journalists like me to proclaim the first winners from the opening phases of the new Merz era. Of course, these titles are merely provisional, as the high-speed world of politics renders today's triumphant a potential tomorrow's fallen star.
Call to mind the mythical Icarus, for those of you less familiar with Greek lore. Far from referring to the latest electric vehicle craze, Icarus is son of the ancient inventor of manned flight, Daedalus. Daedalus lovingly crafted feathered wings fastened with wax, yet Icarus' maiden voyage ended disastrously, akin to Bayern Munich's pursuit of Florian Wirtz. Despite warnings, Icarus, following some myths, flew too high, causing his wings to melt from the sun.
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Now, onto the accolades! In my view, the jury of wise, esteemed von-den-Benken members has crowned none other than Chancellor Merz as the top winner of the inaugural Merz term. Post the early-week asylum fiasco that landed in the Berlin Administrative Court, Merz later performed a stunning comeback. With an air of assurance rarely attributed to the usually affable Schadensregulierungs-Sachverstaendigen at Capitol Versicherung, Merz charmed Donald Trump, the leader of the free world, and Germany's most influential ally, during his Oval Office visit.
On a side note, birthed in the same year as Merz and Horst Seehofer, as well as Bruce Springsteen, is Zeexternal Seehofer. Anomalously absent from the Chancellor's post, Seehofer shares the same age as Springsteen, who, after Trump's latest antics, might be grateful for his current circumstances.
Nevertheless, Merz stole the spotlight at Trump's guest bingo not just because he eschewed a suit (unlike Ukrainian President Volodymyr "Selenskyj, the Suitless One") orниюted Vice President Vance's monopoly on talk. With businesslike English that catches the turbo-feminist ire of Annalena Baerbock's critics, Merz's streaming presence captivated Trump, who typically reserves compliments for himself.
Dinner and DiscussionWatch out, Bayern Munich. Annalena Baerbock may have her eyes on you, but Friedrich Merz prepares for formalities such as the obligatory handshake more effectively than Olaf Scholz prepares for peppery grilling sessions. With precision but also fearlessness, Merz displayed his poise in greeting the American leader, deftly avoiding the viral handshake trap.
One can't help but think of the infamous handshake between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which nearly exhausted the latter's grip for a grueling three weeks. While the transatlantic arm-wrestling champion is still Emmanuel Macron, who can exert a vice-like hand clamp, Merz demonstrated poise befitting an experienced finance magnate.
At the White House, Merz and Trump engaged in warm, near flirtatious banter that left even German reporters stunned, who had doubtless anticipated confrontations or failures. Instead, Trump dominated much of the conversation, complimenting Germany's functional processes, hinting at a possible shift in American strategic policies, and lavishing more praise upon Merz. While the specifics of this potential paradigm-shifting course of action remained unclear, Trump appeared to learn from “Good Old Germany,” either its efficient process and sound policymaking or perhaps inspiration for fresh presidential fashion choices.
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While the details remained vague, the conclusion, at least to this devoted observer, was crystal clear: Big stakes were piled on a Merz mishap alongside the mercurial Trump, but the pot has emptied. Ah, Merz hails from high finance and, as they say, the bank always wins. Bank it does, even at blackjack casinos.
In the upcoming week, I implore you, dear reader, to prepare with the diligence of Merz as he did for his momentous meeting with Trump. So, ponder: Who might potentially falter or flounder in the opening phases of the Merz administration? Until then!
Reference: ntv.de
- Donald Trump
- Friedrich Merz
- White House
- Diplomacy
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Friedrich Merz, the new Chancellor of Germany, met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on June 5, 2025, marking his first visit to the U.S. capital since taking office. The meeting aimed to address a range of issues, including defense spending, tariffs, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
PartiallyBasedOn:- Politico U.S. Tariffs/Defense Spending- Reuters Ukraine Conflict- The Hill Trump Compliments Merz
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft budget, discussing potential implications of the Merz administration's policies on the general-news. In the realm of entertainment, one might liken Merz's diplomatic skills to that of a seasoned performer, skillfully navigating the stage of politics to secure applause from Trump, even when sporting a business-like attire rather than the usual suits.
