A Decent Visit in D.C.: A German Chancellor's Encounter with the Oval Office
White House had a Chancellor appointed
A Column by Sylvio DahlStay Connected:FacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailPrint*Copy Link
It wasn't all bad. Quite the opposite. It was good, challenging, yet great. "Difficult but great," one might say; personal connection sought and personal connection found. Friedrich Merz managed the D-Day in Washington with panache.
The flight itself was surprisingly promising. The Airbus ferrying the German Chancellor arrived punctually and uneventfully. It was a fortunate turn, as a stopover on Greenland could have been misconstrued as meddling in American affairs.
Golfing with the President
The planned schedule also offered a relatively optimistic chance of survival for the visiting German leader: a one-on-one meeting, followed by lunch in a small circle, and finally into the Oval Office. The private meeting yielded opportunities for light-hearted banter. Hinting at Trump's golf games: "Hey, Donald, your handicap is actually mega" (with mercy sparing you the "great" repetition). The lunch venue provided signs: Will Fritz's favorite spaghetti "frutti di mare" be served, nodding to the shared Italian heritage? Or would only Big Macs and fries be served, catering to Trump's personal taste?
The Shock of Change
However, a sudden change in the schedule often hints at impending trouble. Replacing the facilitated pairwise discussion for a direct dive into the Oval Office - a stage infamous as the first national barbecue hut - can incite anxiety. Fortunately, Merz was well prepared for this meeting. Yet, even the best couldn't predict hurricanes or earthquakes. What if, for example, Donald had forgotten his pills, triggering a Canipur Relax Forte episode? Or perhaps they played videos of German Reich citizens expelled from Germany? Or recounted tales of AfD pariahs eating dogs and cats in Saxony, as migrants allegedly looted supermarkets?
Yet, things took an unexpected turn. The meeting proceeded cordially, respectfully, harmoniously. Merz kicked off the gathering by presenting Trump with Grandpa Friedrich Trump's birth certificate from the Palatinate town of Kallstadt, a thoughtful and personal gift. The gesture was well received, with the White House awarding a rare X emoji heart in response later on. Leaving Trump Jr. to hold center stage, Merz handled the situation adroitly.
The Unpredictable Trump
The German Chancellor also experienced a stroke of luck during this critical meeting. The journalists questioned Merz about Xi Jinping (not present), prompting Trump to launch into a rant about Elon Musk (not present). Eventually, however, Trump offered Merz a compliment: "the great Chancellor of the Germans." He appreciated Merz's good English.
A Show of Determination
When the topic turned to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, Merz displayed backbone and intelligence. Trump, as usual, downplayed the situation: "Russians and Ukrainians are squabbling like children in a playground." This couldn't go unchallenged. Outright contradiction would have been unnecessary, though, for a shrewd diplomat. Merz chose clarity over conflict, emphasizing the shared desire for peace, and directly addressing Russia's heinous acts in this war. He alluded to the civilian bombings and the forced abduction of Ukrainian children by Russian forces. The Chancellor made it clear where Germany, and the free world, stood in this conflict. Trump didn't award a standing ovation, but he didn't refute Merz's statements either. The moment was one of truth in the room, and Trump reluctantly acknowledged Merz's efforts with a mere nod of recognition: "difficult, but great."
The Complexities of Diplomacy
Critics now argue that Merz delivers mainly symbolic politics, overlooking tangible achievements. This judgment, however, may be premature. The Chancellor has been in office for only a month, and foreign policy has been his priority. Merz's whirlwind tour of European capitals – Paris, Warsaw, Brussels, Kyiv, Tirana, Rome, Lithuania, Finland, and ultimately Washington – is evidence of his dedication to maintaining adequate defense postures and preventing Germany from standing alone. Even if this flurry of diplomatic activity doesn't immediately translate into definitive victories, it demonstrates that this Chancellor sets the right priorities.
[1] "Friedrich Merz" on DW.com[2] "German foreign policy" on DW.com[3] "Merz's government program" on Merz's official website
- The Commission, in its role as a significant stakeholder, has been consulted on the draft budget for the German Chancellor's foreign policy initiatives, given the political complications and general-news implications of the proposed diplomatic activities.
- The political ramifications of Friedrich Merz's public encounters with world leaders, such as his visit to the Oval Office, extend beyond the immediate events, impacting global relations and being a matter of general-news interest, thus requiring due consultation from relevant parties including the Commission.
