Merkel could join Macron in Davos for epic clash with Trump

[webfact]

Merkel could join Macron in Davos for epic clash with Trump

By Noah Barkin

 

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump confer at the start of the first working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. REUTERS/John MacDougall/Pool/File Photo

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering joining French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week in what could turn into an epic clash of competing world views with U.S. President Donald Trump.

 

Merkel, who has been struggling to put together a government since a German election in September, had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year.

 

But after clinching a preliminary coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Friday, German officials said Merkel could travel to Davos after all, possibly setting up a major confrontation with Trump, who is expected to speak on the final day of the forum.

 

An appearance would signal Merkel's return to the world stage after months of political limbo in which she has avoided the limelight and been dismissed by some in the German and international media as a spent force.

 

It would also allow her and Macron, who is scheduled to speak at the forum on Jan. 24, two days before Trump, to reaffirm their commitment to reforming the European Union after Britain's decision to leave, and to defend liberal democratic values in the face of Trump's "America First" policies.

 

Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert was coy last week when asked whether she might attend the WEF, which will run from Jan. 23-26 under the banner "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World" and will attract some 60 heads of state and government.

 

But after clinching a preliminary deal with the SPD, the chances that she could attend appear to have risen. German officials said no final decision had been taken and that Merkel may wait for the outcome of an SPD congress in Bonn next Sunday - where the party will formally decide whether to enter coalition talks with her conservatives - before committing.

 

Officials at the WEF said they believed Merkel was still considering whether to attend. If she does, it is unlikely that she or Macron would overlap with Trump, who is expected to arrive on the afternoon of Jan. 25.

 

This year's forum will be opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan. 23. Britain's Theresa May, Canada's Justin Trudeau and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu are also expected, as well as celebrities such as actress Cate Blanchett and musician Elton John.

 

Last year's gathering took place in the week leading up to Trump's inauguration and was headlined by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who signalled his readiness to fill the vacuum in global leadership created by America's shift inward.

 

UNITED IN ANTIPATHY

 

Since then, Trump has pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade deal with Asian countries, announced a withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and threatened to torpedo an agreement between Western powers and Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear programme.

 

He has stirred fears of conflict with North Korea by engaging in an escalating war of words with its leader Kim Jong Un. Last week, he stirred international outrage by referring to Haiti and African nations as "shithole countries", according to members of Congress who attended a meeting in the White House.

 

On Saturday, some 500 demonstrators marched in the Swiss capital Bern to protest against Trump's plans to attend the WEF.

 

"There are very few things in the world that unite countries as much as their antipathy towards Trump and what he is doing," said Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, and a regular at Davos.

 

"In the United States he may have 40 percent who approve of what he's doing. In the Davos crowd it is closer to 5 percent."

 

The visit by Trump will be the first by a U.S. president since Bill Clinton in 2000. He will be accompanied by a large delegation that is expected to include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

 

Merkel has had a frosty relationship with Trump, who accused her during his campaign for the presidency of "ruining Germany" by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees, many fleeing war in the Middle East, into the country in 2015.

 

She was hailed in some Western media as the last defender of liberal democratic values after Trump's victory. Since then, the election of Macron, a pro-European centrist who, like Merkel, supports free trade and the global rules-based order, has given her a powerful ally in the confrontation with Trump.

 

Macron is slated to speak for 45 minutes in the evening of Jan. 24 in Davos, a ski resort in eastern Switzerland.

 

"My instinct tells me that Macron will go big," said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London. "He won't just talk about Europe. He will try to take up the mantle of the free world under Europe's wing."

 

If he is joined by Merkel, who has made seven appearances at the WEF since becoming chancellor in 2005, that message may resonate even louder.

 

(Reporting by Noah Barkin; Editing by Dale Hudson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-01-15

[FreddieRoyle]

Merkel and Macron are completely out of their depth, this isn't the private "champagne liberals" playground it was 2 years ago. Trump is saving western civilization, while the 2 Europeans are bent on destroying it. This will be hilarious seeing msm turning backflips about whatever hard truths Trump will come out with. Lovin' the MAGA movement!!

 

Donald, if you are reading this, please please please do like last time you met the old battleaxe and refuse to shake her hand again, priceless, it really was!

[canuckamuck]

Merkel couldn't let her lapdog get all the spotlight. Does Trump know that if he throws water on her she will melt into the floor?

[Golgota]

6 hours ago, FreddieRoyle said:

Merkel and Macron are completely out of their depth, this isn't the private "champagne liberals" playground it was 2 years ago. Trump is saving western civilization, while the 2 Europeans are bent on destroying it. This will be hilarious seeing msm turning backflips about whatever hard truths Trump will come out with. Lovin' the MAGA movement!!

 

Donald, if you are reading this, please please please do like last time you met the old battleaxe and refuse to shake her hand again, priceless, it really was!

saving western civilization? Hahahahahahahahahaha (ad lib)

 

Trump lies are so enormous those days I am surprised even proTrump can't acknowledge them....

[Sir Dude]

Merkel has lost some of her power and Macron is a pretty boy with a M!LF complex that has pretty much done sweet FA since coming into power. Trump will do the conference on-the-fly probably and make some balls-up but won't compromise his 'America First' ideas and has little to fear from these two. 

Edited January 15, 2018 by Sir Dude

[Boon Mee]

6 hours ago, FreddieRoyle said:

Merkel and Macron are completely out of their depth, this isn't the private "champagne liberals" playground it was 2 years ago. Trump is saving western civilization, while the 2 Europeans are bent on destroying it. This will be hilarious seeing msm turning backflips about whatever hard truths Trump will come out with. Lovin' the MAGA movement!!

 

Donald, if you are reading this, please please please do like last time you met the old battleaxe and refuse to shake her hand again, priceless, it really was!

This is where the rubber meets the road. Merkel has rightfully been accused of destroying Germany allowing unchecked migration from countries whose populations cannot assimilate. 

DJT's view is closer to that of OZ for example. Merit based immigration. No doubt there will be fireworks but no one can top Trump in defining the most objective course of action. 

[simple1]

2 hours ago, Golgota said:

saving western civilization? Hahahahahahahahahaha (ad lib)

 

Trump lies are so enormous those days I am surprised even proTrump can't acknowledge them....

Merkel and Macron will wipe the floor of Trump who has nowhere near the competence, knowledge and political / economic smarts of either of them, singularly or combined in an international forum.

[Jingthing]

8 hours ago, FreddieRoyle said:

Merkel and Macron are completely out of their depth, this isn't the private "champagne liberals" playground it was 2 years ago. Trump is saving western civilization, while the 2 Europeans are bent on destroying it. This will be hilarious seeing msm turning backflips about whatever hard truths Trump will come out with. Lovin' the MAGA movement!!

 

Donald, if you are reading this, please please please do like last time you met the old battleaxe and refuse to shake her hand again, priceless, it really was!

Perhaps you mean that "western civilization" is the same thing as isolationist white nationalism. Really the clown potus isn't saving anything except for his family business empire and his fellow billionaires that he is making even richer, as if they need it. 

Edited January 15, 2018 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, Golgota said:

saving western civilization? Hahahahahahahahahaha (ad lib)

 

Trump lies are so enormous those days I am surprised even proTrump can't acknowledge them....

I'm finding on the forum and in real life that many don't fully acknowledge their support of trump. They'll say things like, I don't like trump BUT and then spout a bunch of trump style rhetoric. They're not fooling anyone!

I'm looking forward to the day when you can't find any Americans that admit they ever supported him. 

Edited January 15, 2018 by Jingthing

[IAMHERE]

If Trump doesn't put America First, then which country should he put first? I'm sure he'll do fine.

[connda]

/parody on

Personally, I'd like to see them given swords, maces, and battle hammers and settle their difference at dawn.  Whomever is still sucking air after the battle royale becomes the world leader.  So much easier than all the histrionics. 
Anyway, who can really rally around the fat, indulgent, soft world leaders.  Someone who is has hard as a brick and battle hardened is a much better role model, especially if they have intelligence and a sense of history.

/parody off

 

Edited January 15, 2018 by connda

[dunroaming]

7 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

If Trump doesn't put America First, then which country should he put first? I'm sure he'll do fine.

Trump is the President of the USA so of course should put America first, just as all the Presidents before him have done.  However Trump is destroying Americas credibility and embarrassing the American people with his pathetic rhetoric.

[champers]

Maybe an enormous avalanche will wipe out Davos and a goodly proportion of bankers and politicians. That would be one in the eye for climate change deniers.

Fingers crossed.

[Jingthing]

21 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Trump is the President of the USA so of course should put America first, just as all the Presidents before him have done.  However Trump is destroying Americas credibility and embarrassing the American people with his pathetic rhetoric.

Also the historical context of the specific "America First" campaign slogan is strongly associated with white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazis, American fascists like Henry Ford, eugenicist types, radical isolationists, and anti-semites. Using it was a dog whistle to that base and actually quite intentionally offensive to all kinds of minorities. During the campaign the anti-defamation league objected to it based on the VERY DARK history of that slogan in American history, but of course that was ignored.

Edited January 15, 2018 by Jingthing

[canuckamuck]

21 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Also the historical context of the specific "America First" campaign slogan is strongly associated with white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazis, American fascists like Henry Ford, eugenicist types, radical isolationists, and anti-semites. Using it was a dog whistle to that base and actually quite intentionally offensive to all kinds of minorities. During the campaign the anti-defamation league objected to it based on the VERY DARK history of that slogan in American history, but of course that was ignored.

How twisted is your world when you think an American president saying he considers America's interests to be his priority is being dark. Isn't he just saying that he intends to represent the people who voted for him, and also those who voted for the swamp queen.

[dunroaming]

13 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

How twisted is your world when you think an American president saying he considers America's interests to be his priority is being dark. Isn't he just saying that he intends to represent the people who voted for him, and also those who voted for the swamp queen.

No.  he is saying that he will do what he thinks is best and if that fits with his supporters fine and if not he doesn't give a sh*t anyway.  Trump is following his own warped and misguided idea of what he wants the USA to be.  It has nothing whatsoever to do with what the people who voted for him want or the people who voted against him.

[alocacoc]

As usual Trump will do a great job. He will rule the meeting in Davos. Hard times coming up for Merkel and Macron.

Can't wait.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Trouble]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I'm finding on the forum and in real life that many don't fully acknowledge their support of trump. They'll say things like, I don't like trump BUT and then spout a bunch of trump style rhetoric. They're not fooling anyone!

I'm looking forward to the day when you can't find any Americans that admit they ever supported him. 

Trump is a bull in a china shop but he says what he thinks and what a lot of others think without the political correctness that you so enjoy. 

[Jingthing]

53 minutes ago, alocacoc said:

As usual Trump will do a great job. He will rule the meeting in Davos. Hard times coming up for Merkel and Macron.

Can't wait.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Yeah, he will "rule" it, in his own mind.

[alocacoc]

Yeah, he will "rule" it, in his own mind.

Sure, victory starts in the mind. Where else? He won also at the NATO summit 2017 in Brussel.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, Trouble said:

Trump is a bull in a china shop but he says what he thinks and what a lot of others think without the political correctness that you so enjoy. 

So does the alcoholic pub landlord at my local but I wouldn't want him representing me.

[Jingthing]

26 minutes ago, alocacoc said:

Sure, victory starts in the mind. Where else? He won also at the NATO summit 2017 in Brussel.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

He did not. So again, we're living in different worlds. One of them is real. I think most readers know which is which. 

[alocacoc]

He did not. So again, we're living in different worlds. One of them is real. I think most readers know which is which. 

He did not? He wanted more money from the nato members and he got it. First reaction was mimimimi and then they paid. Great job.

 

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

[isaanbanhou]

2 hours ago, alocacoc said:

As usual Trump will do a great job. He will rule the meeting in Davos. Hard times coming up for Merkel and Macron.

Can't wait.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

 

Trump is a leper  ( apologies to lepers ) and will be greated as such. David Duke would be better received as it least he admits he is racist.

 

America First has become white first,  ignorance and narcisism are what is celebrated now by Trumptards

[simple1]

4 hours ago, alocacoc said:

He did not? He wanted more money from the nato members and he got it. First reaction was mimimimi and then they paid. Great job.

 

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

There were some small percentile increase in payments, but nothing significant. NATO members had previously agreed to increase their target of spending to 2% of GPD by 2024. As I understand NATO will formally announce the first set of reports for member countries plans to comply to the 2024 financial goals next month.

Edited January 15, 2018 by simple1

[Ron19]

A troll post has been removed.

[isaanbanhou]

5 hours ago, alocacoc said:

He did not? He wanted more money from the nato members and he got it. First reaction was mimimimi and then they paid. Great job.

 

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

mimimi?  wow, I hate when I get reaction.  And yet the Great Trump perservered and said no. ME  ME ME!

[BernieOnTour]

20 hours ago, simple1 said:

Merkel and Macron will wipe the floor of Trump who has nowhere near the competence, knowledge and political / economic smarts of either of them, singularly or combined in an international forum.

 

Political/economic smarts ???  

 

Macron is just on his trip to "Make France great again". His "program" is to fill up the coffers of his de-industrialized country via the EU from the Northern Europeans. With Brexit, the blocking minority of the Northern EU members is gone and he can form his Mediterranean alliance with the lazy/corrupt southern no-haves to redistribute the wealth of the North.

 

Merkel, the former communist FDJ secretary and former "Reisekader", has never had another vision than staying in power and sitting problems out.

[simple1]

54 minutes ago, BernieOnTour said:

 

Political/economic smarts ???  

 

Macron is just on his trip to "Make France great again". His "program" is to fill up the coffers of his de-industrialized country via the EU from the Northern Europeans. With Brexit, the blocking minority of the Northern EU members is gone and he can form his Mediterranean alliance with the lazy/corrupt southern no-haves to redistribute the wealth of the North.

 

Merkel, the former communist FDJ secretary and former "Reisekader", has never had another vision than staying in power and sitting problems out.

Whatever your opinions are they do not overrule the fact that Merkel has outsmarted her male political opponents for more than a decade. Macron destroyed the French far right and reasserted French political credibility on the international stage. Both Merkel and Macron are re energising their economies in a challenging environment. Trump is an amature  is comparison who constantly requires bailouts by his enabling sycophants. So far Trump has a very poor track record of actual achievements at international events. We will see if Trump does or doesn't manage to embarrass himself or further erode US international reputation at Davos.

Edited January 16, 2018 by simple1

[the guest]

Compared to Merkel and Macron, Trump is a real Thicko, can't string two coherent words together. Personally they should ban him from coming to Europe, until they get somebody with some brains.

 

I thought George W Bush was inept, until this moron came and stole the idiocy show !