German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will today push for reduced American tariffs in his first meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC.
Merz will also highlight his country’s increased defense spending and press for stronger American support for Ukraine, hoping to leverage what has so far been a positive, if distant, relationship: The two former businessmen text each other and are on a first-name basis, Handelsblatt noted.
The visit is crucial for Merz — Germany’s huge manufacturing and carmaking sectors are particularly vulnerable to Trump’s steel and auto tariffs — but he also has cards to play, The Wall Street Journal said, and is expected to argue that Washington needs Europe in order to present a unified front against China.
