A visit to Washington: Merz in Washington: What can he expect in the White House?

It is by far the most difficult trip abroad for Friedrich Merz in his still young chancellery: around 00.51 local time, the CDU politician landed in Washington, where he is welcomed by US President Donald Trump in the White House late in the morning. A lunch together and one of the notorious press bends in the Oval Office, the president’s office, which Trump has polished up with a lot of gold, are planned.

For the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, the meeting there became deep humiliation at the end of February at the end of February, which still has an impact on today. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also demonstrated Trump and tried to emphasize his accusation of a “genocide” of white farmers with a video.

How will Merz be? One thing is certain: The Chancellor’s inaugural visit of the Chancellor in Washington will set the tone for the German-American relations of the coming years. The first encounter is not about concrete political communication, but simply about the question: Do the two find a wire together?

How does the meeting work?

The visit will definitely start well. Trump made Merz available to the US President’s guest house for the overnight stay. Former French President Charles de Gaulle and Queen Elizabeth II have overnessed there in the past 80 years. Not the worst place to start such an important day.

At 11.30 a.m. local time it goes over to the White House. The presidential advisor of the President also includes the press in the Oval Office – such as Vice President JD Vance and Foreign Minister Mark Rubio, which have accused Germany and other European allies the circumcision of freedom of expression and the exclusion of parties such as the AfD.

This topic is most likely to have escalation potential. If it arises, Merz should find clear words. He has already made it publicly clear that he considers the criticism from the USA to be “attacking”. The participation of Rubios in the meeting is confirmed by US. Vance may be missing this time.

How long does the spectacle in the Oval Office take?

That is completely open. At Selenskyj it was 50 minutes, with French President Emmanuel Macron only 28 minutes, into which 27 questions were still suitable. 23 went to Trump, only four to Macron. The French President replied in English and French – much longer than Trump. Merz has decided to go to the White House without interpreting – a confidence -building measure.

How well do the two already know each other?

You only met fleetingly in New York many years ago. Since Merz took office four weeks ago, they have spoken several times – in pairs and in a larger group for the Ukraine War. Merz now has the US President’s cell phone number, regularly exchanges with him via SMS and addresses him with his first names-it says from the German side.

A few days ago, Merz surprisingly opened about the first phone call for pairs for two days ago. “When you talk to him alone, that’s just small talk,” he said. “And it is always important that you don’t talk so long, but that you talk briefly and let him talk.”

The two were talking about the American Pope and the US metropolis Chicago, for whom both have a soft spot. Merz knows the United States excellently and even worked for an American company: the investment company Blackrock.

How did Merz prepare?

The Chancellor has had advice from several heads of state and government who were already at Trump, such as Selenskyj, Ramaphosa, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The tips included: It depends on the first 30 seconds.

How has Trump commented on Merz so far?

Actually not at all. After the Bundestag election in Germany, Trump celebrated the victory of the “Conservative Party”, but did not name Merz by name. After his election as Chancellor, Vance only publicly sent his boss’s congratulations, and Rubio congratulated Merz in a written statement after a joint phone call. From Trump himself, however, nothing really came. Not to appear at all seems better from a German perspective than being targeted by the president.

During his first term, Trump emerged with a lot of criticism of Germany – among other things because of the defense spending or the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2. The relationship was frosty. It is legendary how Trump unloaded when a visit to Chancellor Angela Merkel. In the first few months of his new term, on the other hand, Trump was buttoned up other countries and also criticized Europe as a whole, but did not use Germany bashing as it was then – at least so far.

How will Merz appear at Trump?

Facing, but confident. “You have to adjust to him and get involved. And at the same time you can’t make yourself smaller than we are,” he said at the WDR European. “We are not a supplicant.”

What is the top topic of the visit?

The efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Merz took the top among the Europeans, but was recently frustrated about lack of progress. In Washington, he wants to fight Trump to increase the pressure on the Russian President Vladimir Putin through new sanctions in order to move it into a ceasefire.

Trump has so far been open to new sanctions and has not yet revealed how he stands for a corresponding draft law from the congress, where the impatience also grows. After a new phone call with Putin the day before Merz ‘visit, Trump explained that he saw no chance of an immediate peace. The Republican has so far not been able to do much for the fact that he always brows himself to the Kremlin boss and bragged for a long time that he could end the war within 24 hours.

Which topic is still at the top of the agenda?

A solution in the customs dispute with the USA. However, the EU Commission is negotiating with the United States. Merz will not turn on the details, but can create confidence as the head of the most economic European country. For the tariffs of 50 percent, originally threatened by Trump on June 1st, there is now a deadline until July 9th. But in the meantime, too, Trump is always a surprise and unexpected provocation – as recently when doubling the tariffs to aluminum and steel, which also meets Germany.

What is discussed with a view to the NATO summit?

At the end of June, the heads of state and government of the military alliance come together in the Hague and will talk about their defense spending, among other things. Trump demanded expenditure of five percent of gross domestic product from the allies. NATO general secretary Mark Rutte then created a compromise formula: 3.5 percent for the military and 1.5 percent for infrastructure such as streets or ports that can be relevant for defense.

Merz has joined this proposal and has already accommodated Trump very much. It has to be shown whether the republican will end up with the creative invoice. At least Trump has now agreed to participate in the NATO summit – before that it was not clear whether he could stay away from resentment. At least there is no escalation.