Chancellor Merz's anticipated confrontation with Trump transformed into an unexpectedly warm encounter. German media spent the morning predicting diplomatic disaster, with outlets reporting the White House had prepared "Eklat-Fragen" and changed meeting schedules. Instead, Trump called Merz "a great chancellor" and praised German defense spending increases.
The afternoon meeting featured Trump's characteristic monologues while Merz listened, occasionally inserting reminders about America's historical responsibilities. Merz positioned Trump as a "key figure" for ending the Ukraine war, while Trump compared the conflict to quarreling children. Trump accepted Merz's invitation to visit Germany.
The Musk-Trump feud erupted dramatically after the meeting concluded. Musk threatened to release what he called "the big bomb" regarding Trump's alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein, marking a complete breakdown in their relationship following yesterday's initial confrontation over tax policy. German media described the escalation as "unprecedented" and "beispiellos."