Merz in Washington: Trump's troops stay, cooperation is growing!

Merz in Washington: Trump's troops stay, cooperation is growing!

Washington D.C., USA - On June 5, 2025, the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in Washington D.C. One to start his inaugural visit with US President Donald Trump. A central topic of the talks was security issues, especially in the context of the US troops stationed in Germany, which Trump confirmed that they would stay there. During his visit, Merz emphasized the close cooperation between the two countries and referred to the common history, which also includes Trump's German roots. The Chancellor thanked Trump for the hospitality and the overnight stay in the historic guest house of the US government, the Blair House.

Already in the preparations for this meeting, Merz indicated that he is pleading for closer transatlantic cooperation. On the edge of their first official meeting, which was to take place on Thursday, Merz and Trump exchanged personal cell phone numbers and were thus on an informal level. Merz, who is considered a transatlantic, strives to convince Trump of the relevance of a strong US obligation in Europe.

main topics of the talks

In the conversations between Merz and Trump, several crucial topics were addressed. This included the war in Ukraine, tariff disputes and the security contributions in Europe. Merz has already signaled that Germany intends to increase defense expenditure to 5% of gross domestic product, with 3.5% for the military and 1.5% being intended for defense infrastructure. This increase is a step to expand Germany's leadership role in Europe and to intensify cooperation with the United States in security issues.

In addition, Merz wants to address some controversial points, including the latest doubling of the US import duties to European steel and aluminum to 50%. He warns of trade conflicts and has emphasized that clear communication with Trump is crucial, precisely because he considered many of Trump's statements to be positive.

transatlantic challenges

Trump's new election is a special challenge for Germany and France. Historically, German foreign policy is strongly shaped by the teachings of the Second World War and NATO armor adaptation. Merz is aware that Germany has to rethink its strategy in terms of transatlantic relationships, especially with regard to the independent initiatives of France, which under President Macron is aiming for more European sovereignty.

A smooth functioning of the transatlantic partnership could be crucial for the security of Europe. However, political scientists like Carlo Masala express skepticism about the long-term effectiveness of US participation in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The EU is currently facing the challenge of developing a coherent transatlantic strategy, while Germany and France also have to coordinate its respective positions.

The next time will be crucial to find out how Merz and Trump, together with the partners in Europe, master the challenges and which new impulses could arise in transatlantic cooperation.

For more information about this visit and the associated topics, read t-online , DW and dpag .