German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, June 5th, in a high-stakes diplomatic meeting. Despite the tensions between the two, the heads of states shared smiles and handshakes outside the West Wing before their first face-to-face meeting.
Chancellor Merz struck an optimistic tone ahead of the meeting. “Our alliance with America was, is, and remains of paramount importance for the security, freedom, and prosperity of Europe,” he posted on X. He reportedly opened the meeting by urging Trump to increase pressure on Russia to end its three-year war in Ukraine. “We support Ukraine and seek stronger pressure on Russia,” Merz told the U.S. president.
Merz has argued that the EU must negotiate with Washington from a position of self-confidence, not submission. Trump has repeatedly criticized Germany’s car industry and accused Berlin of exploiting U.S. markets, lumping it among European countries he claims are trying to “screw” the United States.
Perhaps the most sensitive issue, however, is Trump’s and his administration’s backing of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The AfD, which placed second in the February elections, has been labeled a “right-wing extremist” group by Germany’s domestic intelligence service—a designation put on hold by a court case filed by the party.
That designation drew condemnation from Trump allies, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio called the move “tyranny in disguise.”
Merz has urged Washington to respect Germany’s domestic political boundaries. After the AfD controversy erupted earlier this year, he bluntly told the U.S. government to “largely stay out of” internal German affairs.
