Before the personal meeting between the U.S. President and the German Chancellor in Washington on June 5, Donald Trump’s team unexpectedly changed the visit schedule of the German leader, according to The New York Times.
Late Wednesday, Trump administration officials surprised Merz’s team by rescheduling the Oval Office meeting to the very beginning of the visit—placing it before the working lunch.
German officials had expected the lunch to come first, allowing the two leaders to discuss any disagreements privately before the media arrived.
Trump has repeatedly used his Oval Office appearances in front of journalists to confront and put foreign counterparts in uncomfortable situations. Notable examples include his disputes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“The Merz team understands how important the first meeting between leaders is. Merz’s aides, who briefed journalists ahead of the visit, consulted with advisors to other leaders who had visited Washington to learn from their experiences. Merz himself spoke with many of those leaders, including a recent call to Ramaphosa,” the publication states.
At the White House, Merz is expected to try to persuade Trump to uphold America’s long-standing commitment to defend Europe—even as some in Trump’s administration are reportedly considering reducing the U.S. military presence there.
