After the French president’s warm visit, the frosty atmosphere was clear as the US and German leaders discussed NATO and Iran
Donald Trump and Angela Merkel worked hard to present a united front on Friday but could not mask deep differences in substance and style.
Although the two leaders stressed the US and Germany’s close ties, their low-key meeting offered a stark contrast to the lavish state visit of French president Emmanuel Macron – and their body language was distinctly colder.
At a joint press conference at the White House, Trump bemoaned America’s $151bn trade deficit with the European Union, whose exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs expires on Tuesday unless the US grants an extension.
Merkel suggested little progress had been made on the issue. “The president will decide – that’s very clear,” she told reporters. “We had an exchange of views on the current state of affairs and the negotiations. The decision lies with the president.”
Trump said: “We need a reciprocal relationship, which we don’t have. We’re working on it and we want to make it more fair and the chancellor wants to make it more fair.”
But he added that he did not blame Merkel, Germany or the EU for the imbalance. “I blame the people that preceded me for allowing this to happen,” he said.
The US president also reiterated his criticism of Nato members that do not spend the mandatory 2% of GDP on defence; Merkel said Germany’s latest budget would take defence spending to 1.3% of GDP. He said: “Nato is wonderful but it helps Europe more than it helps us, and why are we paying a vast majority of the costs?”
Continue Reading: Trump and Merkel tried – and failed – to hide their differences in Washington
Donald Trump and Angela Merkel worked hard to present a united front on Friday but could not mask deep differences in substance and style.
Although the two leaders stressed the US and Germany’s close ties, their low-key meeting offered a stark contrast to the lavish state visit of French president Emmanuel Macron – and their body language was distinctly colder.
At a joint press conference at the White House, Trump bemoaned America’s $151bn trade deficit with the European Union, whose exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs expires on Tuesday unless the US grants an extension.
Merkel suggested little progress had been made on the issue. “The president will decide – that’s very clear,” she told reporters. “We had an exchange of views on the current state of affairs and the negotiations. The decision lies with the president.”
Trump said: “We need a reciprocal relationship, which we don’t have. We’re working on it and we want to make it more fair and the chancellor wants to make it more fair.”
But he added that he did not blame Merkel, Germany or the EU for the imbalance. “I blame the people that preceded me for allowing this to happen,” he said.
The US president also reiterated his criticism of Nato members that do not spend the mandatory 2% of GDP on defence; Merkel said Germany’s latest budget would take defence spending to 1.3% of GDP. He said: “Nato is wonderful but it helps Europe more than it helps us, and why are we paying a vast majority of the costs?”
Continue Reading: Trump and Merkel tried – and failed – to hide their differences in Washington
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