Merkel meets Trump in clash of style and substance

[webfact]

Merkel meets Trump in clash of style and substance

By Noah Barkin

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - She is controlled and cautious, a physicist from East Germany who takes her time making decisions and has never relished the attention that comes from being Europe's most powerful leader.

 

He is a wealthy real estate magnate from New York who shoots from the hip and enjoys the spotlight.

 

It is hard to imagine two leaders more different, in style or substance, than Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Donald Trump, the new president of the United States.

 

For months, they have been engaged in an uneasy long-distance skirmish over policy and values.

 

On Tuesday, they meet for the first time - a high-stakes encounter that will be watched by governments around the world for clues about the future of the transatlantic alliance, a partnership that has helped shape the global order since World War Two but which Trump is threatening to upend.

 

"Do I think they are going to become good friends? Probably not. They are very different personalities," said Charles Kupchan, who advised Trump's predecessor Barack Obama on European policy as a member of the National Security Council.

 

"But I do think they have a strong interest, both politically and strategically, in learning how to work together. It is arguably the most important meeting with a foreign leader of Trump's presidency."

 

German officials say the detail-oriented Merkel, 62, has been preparing assiduously for her trip to Washington.

 

She has watched Trump's speeches and poured over his interviews, including a lengthy Q&A with Playboy magazine from 1990 in which he floats many of the controversial ideas he is now trying to implement as president, they say.

 

Members of her entourage have also analysed Trump's encounters with other leaders - including Britain's Theresa May, Japan's Shinzo Abe and Canada's Justin Trudeau - and have had exchanges with some of their counterparts on how to handle the unpredictable former reality-TV star, the officials added.

 

"We have to be prepared for the fact that he does not like to listen for long, that he prefers clear positions and does not want to delve into details," said one senior German official.

 

'CATASTROPHIC MISTAKE'

 

On both economic and foreign policy, the divide between the two leaders appears vast.

 

Trump, 70, has called Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany a "catastrophic mistake".

 

He has threatened to impose tariffs on German carmakers that import into the U.S. market. And he has criticised Berlin for not spending more on defence, a longstanding U.S. complaint that Merkel has promised to address.

 

Another source of tension is Germany's 50 billion euro trade surplus with the United States.

 

Trump adviser Peter Navarro has accused Germany of gaining unfair trade advantages through a weak euro. Merkel and her ministers have pointed out that the European Central Bank - and not Berlin - controls the fate of Europe's single currency.

 

Russia will also be on the agenda. White House officials have said Trump will seek advice from Merkel on how to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

For her part, Merkel has been critical of Trump's travel ban targeting the citizens of several mainly Muslim countries. In a phone call in January, she explained to Trump that the Geneva Convention obliges signatories, including the United States, to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds.

 

Merkel is also concerned that Trump, who has repeatedly praised Britain's decision to leave the European Union, might continue to undermine the bloc with his rhetoric at a time of deep crisis triggered by the rise of anti-EU populist parties.

 

"Europe is in a very fragile, precarious state and Germany is trying to ensure that the European integration project holds together. I suspect the chancellor will want to make this clear to the president," said Anthony Gardner, who served as U.S. ambassador to the European Union until January.

 

"This is an opportunity to sketch out areas of common interest, to define a positive agenda," he added. "But one meeting won't change the atmosphere on its own."

 

POTENTIAL FOR SURPRISES

 

Trump is the third U.S. president that Merkel, Europe's longest-serving leader, has worked with.

 

She established a good rapport with George W. Bush, who was keen to repair ties with Germany after his clash with Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schroeder over the Iraq war.

 

And although relations with Obama got off to an awkward start when Merkel rebuffed his request to speak at the Brandenburg Gate during the 2008 presidential campaign, the two grew close over time, cooperating on sanctions against Russia and launching negotiations on a transatlantic free-trade deal.

 

"The parting is hard for me," Merkel acknowledged when Obama visited Berlin in November, a week after Trump's victory.

 

The German leader will be walking a fine line in Washington. With an election looming at home in September, she must avoid offering her political opponents ammunition by cozying up to Trump. Neither can she afford an open confrontation that might damage German interests.

 

One of the biggest concerns in the chancellor's camp before the visit is the potential for surprises.

 

Japan's Abe had an awkward 19-second handshake with Trump, while May was criticised in some sections of the British media for holding hands with Trump during a stroll at the White House, apparently after he reached out to steady himself.

 

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump last month, he and his team spent the day before running through endless scenarios, lines of questioning and role-plays to ensure they were prepared for any scenario.

 

But in the end, they were still taken aback when Trump spoke off the cuff at their news conference on the sensitive issues of settlements and a future Palestinian state.

 

Merkel has admitted to being so uncomfortable with surprises as a child that she drew up her Christmas wish-list months in advance to avoid being caught off-guard by an unexpected gift.

 

With Trump, she might have to expect the unexpected.

 

(Additional reporting by Andreas Rinke and Gernot Heller in Berlin, Steve Holland in Washington, Luke Baker is Jerusalem, Elizabeth Piper in London and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Pravin Char)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-13

[boomerangutang]

I don't much like Merkel due to her overly-open policies re; migrants.  However, I respect her a lot more than Trump.  At least Merkel thinks before she talks, is knowledgeable about international affairs, and doesn't have the litany of character failings that Trump has.  

[boomerangutang]

Trump will be tripping over himself to show the world what a gentleman he can be.  He's all about showmanship. It's similar to how, when he phoned the Pakistani PM and showered love and praise on Pakistan and all Paksitanis.    It was silly at best.  Maybe he forgot, but Pakistan was harboring Bin Laden, and is also home to terrorists, Taliban sympathisers, and women (honor-) killers who don't get punished.   

 

Merkel is smart enough to know that Don is 99% show, and to not believe what The Divider promises.  

[canuckamuck]

He has no reason to respect Merkel. She represents a lot of what he is trying to change,

She could learn a lot from him though. 

[whatawonderfulday]

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

He has no reason to respect Merkel. She represents a lot of what he is trying to change,

She could learn a lot from him though. 

Well their is only 1 thing she could learn,  proper dress sense.  As for politics she is a stateswoman and he just a conman.

[darksidedog]

“We have to be prepared for the fact that he does not like to listen for long, that he prefers clear positions and does not want to delve into details,” said one senior German official.

Translate that to, Trump has a very short attention span, you need to explain things in words of two syllables or less, and he can't understand logic.

[boomerangutang]

47 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

He has no reason to respect Merkel. She represents a lot of what he is trying to change,

She could learn a lot from him though. 

She could learn from Donald?  What, pray tell?  How to grab strangers' private parts?  How to not pay contractors for work done?   How to not pay back loans to banks?   How to cheat investors?    How to tweet malicious lies at 6 a.m. ?   How to start a fake U and bilk thousands of gullible people out of hundreds of thousands of dollar?

[boomerangutang]

             If she wants to get chummy with Trump, she has to heap praise upon him, and speak to him with Bannon's bedside manner.   Whisper in his ear, "Muslims are coming to the US by 1,000 devious means and will take over your family and your country and kill your children while drugging your water supplies."    With pillow talk like that, Trump will grin and be content.

[darksidedog]

At an intellectual level, this will be comparable to Steven Hawking meeting with Kermit the Frog.

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, darksidedog said:

At an intellectual level, this will be comparable to Steven Hawking meeting with Kermit the Frog.

 

 

 

Which one is which ?

[darksidedog]

2 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

 

Which one is which ?

I believe if you scratch your head a little and get the cogs turning, you may well be able to figure this conundrum out for yourself.

Merkel may look a bit like Miss Piggy admittedly, but she is a smart cookie.

[Briggsy]

Trump will follow a pattern. Avoid any anti-Merkel statements prior to the visit, be all smiley for the cameras during the visit, quite touchy if he can get past Angela's judo moves, then bang out an anti-Merkel comment about 5 - 7 days for his voter base just to keep them happy.

 

Since he has no understanding of the issues and no interest in the issues, I doubt anything of substance will be discussed, moved forward or agreed.

 

The US is drifting under Trump.

[Jip99]

31 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I believe if you scratch your head a little and get the cogs turning, you may well be able to figure this conundrum out for yourself.

Merkel may look a bit like Miss Piggy admittedly, but she is a smart cookie.

 

 

 

I think you credit her with more talent than she actually has.

 

"Smart cookie" is certainly not a label I would attribute to her.

[craigt3365]

7 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

I think you credit her with more talent than she actually has.

 

"Smart cookie" is certainly not a label I would attribute to her.

She is super smart.  You don't get to that level by being dumb. 

 

https://www.forbes.com/profile/angela-merkel/

Quote

Merkel, who faces a challenging reelection bid in 2017, has been tasked with maintaining a united European front in the wake of Brexit, balancing growing Russian influence on the continent and managing more than 1 million migrants who have entered Germany in recent years. This is hardly the first difficult political climate Merkel has been dealt. She guided her country through a recession with stimulus packages and subsidies for companies that cut hours for workers, and Germany entered 2016 with a budget surplus of 12.1 billion euros ($13.1 billion) and an AAA rating from credit rating agencies.

 

[craigt3365]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Merkel

Quote

Merkel worked and studied at the Central Institute for Physical chemistry of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin-Adlershof from 1978 to 1990. After being awarded a doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) for her thesis on quantum chemistry,^[39] she worked as a researcher and published several papers.^[40]

 

[darksidedog]

11 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

 

I think you credit her with more talent than she actually has.

 

"Smart cookie" is certainly not a label I would attribute to her.

Allow me to explain my logic. Merkel is a Physicist. Steven Hawking is a Physicist too. You need brains to be a Physicist. Kermit the Frog and Donald Trump are a pair of muppets.

[348GTS]

And still the boring predictable anti Trump sentiment continues. One could be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that you're all happy with the total mess Europe is in now thanks in part (or in whole?) to Merkel's insane policies, and you actively want the same for the USA. Because that's how it looks from here.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Trump, 70, has called Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany a "catastrophic mistake".' Along with not a few Germans and innumerable other European citizens.

 

'He has threatened to impose tariffs on German carmakers that import into the U.S. market.' Volkswagen, among others, no doubt?

 

'Trump adviser Peter Navarro has accused Germany of gaining unfair trade advantages through a weak euro. Merkel and her ministers have pointed out that the European Central Bank - and not Berlin - controls the fate of Europe's single currency.' While Berlin pulls the ECB strings.

[Grouse]

44 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

 

I think you credit her with more talent than she actually has.

 

"Smart cookie" is certainly not a label I would attribute to her.

She read physical chemistry and has a PhD in Quantum Mechanics. ( You know, Schroedinger, Heisenberg and all that?)

 

What is your PhD in?

 

Maybe you think that a university education is worthless like several others on here?

[craigt3365]

18 minutes ago, 348GTS said:

And still the boring predictable anti Trump sentiment continues. One could be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that you're all happy with the total mess Europe is in now thanks in part (or in whole?) to Merkel's insane policies, and you actively want the same for the USA. Because that's how it looks from here.

There are definitely issues with the migrant problems in Europe, and Germany.  I just read a report where the migrants have contributed around 4K Euro per year per worker to the German economy.  Not bad.  The German economy seems to be doing quite well.

[Grouse]

18 minutes ago, 348GTS said:

And still the boring predictable anti Trump sentiment continues. One could be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that you're all happy with the total mess Europe is in now thanks in part (or in whole?) to Merkel's insane policies, and you actively want the same for the USA. Because that's how it looks from here.

Wrong way round

 

We don't want American values in Europe thank you.

[Jip99]

10 minutes ago, Grouse said:

She read physical chemistry and has a PhD in Quantum Mechanics. ( You know, Schroedinger, Heisenberg and all that?)

 

What is your PhD in?

 

Maybe you think that a university education is worthless like several others on here?

 

 

You are confusing educated with smart again.

 

 

 

No surprise there.

[Grouse]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

You are confusing educated with smart again.

 

 

 

No surprise there.

Touchy! Have you got a chip on both shoulders or just the one? Maybe there's some quantum entanglement between the two.

 

Maybe you are using the word "smart" to comment on her sartorial elegance?

[baboon]

7 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

There are definitely issues with the migrant problems in Europe, and Germany.  I just read a report where the migrants have contributed around 4K Euro per year per worker to the German economy.  Not bad.  The German economy seems to be doing quite well.

Sure, but the flip side of any economic argument is one of social cohesion. A country should not just be this ravenous beast called the economy that the human being exists merely to serve. Unfortunately that seems to be the way we are headed.

[348GTS]

12 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Wrong way round

 

We don't want American values in Europe thank you.

 

Yes apparently everyone seems to want those "progressive" pro Muslim values. Be careful what you wish for.

[craigt3365]

2 minutes ago, baboon said:

Sure, but the flip side of any economic argument is one of social cohesion. A country should not just be this ravenous beast called the economy that the human being exists merely to serve. Unfortunately that seems to be the way we are headed.

Well put. 

[Grouse]

1 minute ago, 348GTS said:

 

Yes apparently everyone seems to want those "progressive" pro Muslim values. Be careful what you wish for.

Well I am anti muslim.

 

We certainly have a problem in Europe right now and will handle it

 

No we don't wish to foist European style social democracy on the USA but nor do we want American "values" in return thank you.

[craigt3365]

2 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Well I am anti muslim.

 

We certainly have a problem in Europe right now and will handle it

 

No we don't wish to foist European style social democracy on the USA but nor do we want American "values" in return thank you.

Right.  Those terrible American values.  Freedom of speech.  Equality.  Protection of the environment.  Competition and free enterprise.  Nasty stuff. LOL

[Grouse]

8 minutes ago, baboon said:

Sure, but the flip side of any economic argument is one of social cohesion. A country should not just be this ravenous beast called the economy that the human being exists merely to serve. Unfortunately that seems to be the way we are headed.

And at the risk of going off topic, this is one reason the Labour Party is falling apart. They have failed to realise that many of their electoral base (as opposed to members) want economic protection AND cultural protection. There is more to running a country than just being a business manager....

[348GTS]

1 minute ago, Grouse said:

Well I am anti muslim.

 

We certainly have a problem in Europe right now and will handle it

 

No we don't wish to foist European style social democracy on the USA but nor do we want American "values" in return thank you.

 

Well that's putting it mildly. By continuing to promote failed liberal policies and the failed multiculturalism agenda, the "problem" will not be "handled". Seeing how Merkel is mostly to blame for the total shambles Europe is in now, and Trump is trying to prevent the same thing from happening to the USA, I find the constant anti Trump rhetoric confusing, and frankly annoying. It seems the vast majority of 'the left' haven't quite figured out the concept of eggs needing to be broken before an omlette can be made.