Merz meets Trump: departure for Germany or diplomatic hurdle?

Merz meets Trump: departure for Germany or diplomatic hurdle?

Washington, D. C., USA - On June 5, 2025, the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the White House for his inaugural visit. Merz, who won the election just a few weeks ago, met with US President Donald Trump to discuss important topics. In a first brief exchange, Trump noticed that the election victory of the conservative alliance in Germany was "a great day for Germany" and was critical of the government of Olaf Scholz. "People are tired of an agenda without common sense," he added.

Merz presented Trump a meaningful gift: a facsimile of the birth certificate from Trump's grandfather. The first conversation between the two started with a friendly handshake, followed by Trump's praise for the election success of Merz. Before his meeting, Merz had declared that he was ready to respond to questions about German domestic politics, even if he did not expect "breakthroughs" in relation to topics such as the Ukraine decline or the NATO summit.

discussion about central topics

In the run -up to the meeting, Merz also formulated clear points of view of migration, crime and energy policy. In his speech, he supported a strict immigration policy to stop unwanted migration and expressed his support for a "zero tolerance" approach in crime. These political views did not come without controversy, since Merz had been criticized in the past because of his statements about Muslims and Ukrainian refugees.

personal connection between Merz and Trump

The communication line between Merz and Trump seems to be tight, as they regularly exchange ideas via SMS and address each other with first names. Merz had previously only met Trump fleetingly in New York. During his stay, Merz stayed in the President's guest house, which has been used by numerous prominent personalities in the past 80 years, including Charles de Gaulle and Queen Elizabeth II.

The political relationship between Germany and the USA is tense after Trump's taking office, which the German Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul describes as a crisis situation. Many Germans perceive the rough tone irritating and unsettling.

At the same time, Trump showed his optimism for future victories and noticed that other political leaders, such as Greece's Prime Minister Kyriako's Mitsotakis, congratulated Merz on his election victory, which is important for the political family in Europe.

The stay of Merz in the USA is further deepened by lunch and a press blessing in the Oval Office. It will be interesting to see how these first discussions will affect international cooperation and bilateral relationships between Germany and the USA.