He who awkwardly ignores the request and blows up the usual handshake that accompanies every meeting between the leaders in the Oval Office. She who tries to find ideas for a more harmonious conversation but without success. Angela Merkel and Donald Trump met, after the first postponement due to the snowstorm over Washington, but tension dominated beyond the formal smiles.
The two leaders talked about immigration, relations with NATO, relations with Vladimir Putin and the crisis in Ukraine, the TTPI (the trade agreement between Europe and the United States) without being able to find a real point of communication after the various long-distance question-and-response that preceded the face-to-face.
Despite everything, "it is better to talk to each other than to talk about each other", said the Chancellor during the press conference at the White House. "During the working lunch - she let her know - we will talk and also address the issue of free trade". Germany, shortly before Merkel's departure for the US, made Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries speak and threatened to file an appeal with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the United States if the 'border tax' comes into force ' promise by US President Donald Trump, in particular on cars manufactured in Mexico, which would affect BMW.
Trump returned to hitting the key on the immigration issue: "Immigration - said the US president - is a privilege, not a right". US President Donald Trump affirmed his "strong support" for NATO but reiterated the need for allies to pay their "fair share". "A stronger America - he said again - is in the interest of the whole world". “I am not an isolationist,” Trump said again, arguing that he was in favor of fairer trade, which helps to rebalance the trade deficit. And there was a moment of annoyance in which The Donald attacked: “I'm not an isolationist, I'm in favor of free trade, but it must be fair. The German negotiators were very good at dealing with the United States. Many large countries have taken advantage of agreements that are terrible for us. This won't happen again."
Merkel's response was balanced and, again, aimed at smoothing out the contrasts: "We must protect our borders - she said on the immigration issue - but we must also look at the refugees who flee wars and poverty".
The visit to the USA does not end with the meeting in the White House which was followed by a round table which was attended not only by the two government leaders but also by industry representatives. Merkel was accompanied by the number one of three major German companies, Siemens, BMW and Schaeffler, a manufacturer of auto components. Trump was joined by her daughter Ivanka (the only one smiling) with her husband Jared Kushner (adviser to the president) and the secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross. The US business world was represented by the CEOs of Dow Chemical, IBM and Salesforce.
