Overview

• Merz will hold his first face-to-face meeting with President Trump at the White House on June 5, including an overnight stay at Blair House and a joint press briefing.
• The agenda centers on Germany’s commitment of over $5.5 billion in aid to bolster Ukraine’s defense, with Merz urging continued U.S. military backing and pursuing a ceasefire.
• Trade disputes feature prominently as Trump maintains tariffs on EU imports and a threatened 50% levy delayed to July, prompting Merz to warn Brussels on calibrated retaliation against U.S. tech firms.
• Merz has publicly rebuked U.S. officials for criticizing Germany’s designation of the far-right AfD as extremist, demanding reciprocal respect for domestic political processes.
• The trip underscores Merz’s broader shift toward European strategic autonomy and deeper transatlantic security cooperation within NATO.