Arriving in Washington for her first face-to-face meeting with President Trump, after months of preparation and one postponement due to snow, Obama's old friend German Chancellor Angela Merkel will likely discuss trade and immigration, though officials said there were few concrete goals.
Last month she met Vice President Mike Pence in Munich, where he was delivering the first major foreign policy address of the Trump administration, and laid the groundwork for Friday's meeting.
As CNN notes, aides said they expected Merkel to appeal to Trump's sense of businesslike efficiency in an attempt to win over the new US leader. She's used a workmanlike attitude and droll wit to make inroads with two previous presidents. With George W. Bush, Merkel was able to cooperate on key economic issues, despite Bush's deep unpopularity in Germany. With Obama, she forged a bond so deep and obvious it was parodied on "Saturday Night Live."
Remember, we already know what the Germans think of Trump…
After the awkward non-handshake, the press conference could take uncomfortable to a whole new level given Trump's comments during the campaign, criticizing her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees to enter Germany. That decision was also unpopular in Germany, and Merkel has since said she'll devote funds to sending refugees who weren't granted asylum back to their home countries…
"I like her, but I think it was a mistake. And people make mistakes, but I think it was a very big mistake,"
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We know someone will be watching closely…
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