The meeting between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with journalists at the White House lasted approximately 35 minutes, of which the American leader spent approximately 30 minutes speaking, the DPA agency reports.
As during his first bilateral meeting with Trump nearly 10 months ago, the German prime minister was again given little time to express his opinion. Then Merz spoke for only 3 minutes and 50 seconds, while the American leader spoke for almost 36 minutes. This time, the chancellor also managed to speak for just over 3 minutes.
Answering questions from journalists, the US president discussed the operation against Iran, the role of European partners, NATO defense spending, the conflict in Ukraine, energy policy and trade issues. Merz drew attention to the shared position with the US on Iran, pointed out the negative consequences of the conflict and raised the issue of Ukraine. He also promised to convince Spain of the need to increase defense spending.
This is Merz's third visit to the US since he took office as German Chancellor in May 2025.