German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to visit Washington next week for his first official meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump since assuming office earlier this month. The two leaders are scheduled to meet at the White House on Thursday.
According to German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, the talks will focus on key international issues, including the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, and trade policy.
Merz is expected to arrive in the U.S. capital a day prior to the meeting. As reported by broadcaster n-tv, the visit will include a working lunch and a joint press conference following the talks.
Tensions have already emerged between the new German government and senior members of the Trump administration. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance recently criticized Berlin over its domestic intelligence agency’s classification of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a “proven right-wing extremist organization.” Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, has also been a vocal supporter of the AfD on the international stage.
Responding to the criticism, Merz defended Germany’s internal affairs, stating that American officials should refrain from interfering.
