Chancellor Merz's remaking of Germany

The new German leader faces a monumental task but he's off to a promising start.

- Jonathan Eyal

All foreign leaders coming to Washington must now pass an ordeal: sitting in the White House's Oval Office next to Mr. Donald Trump and facing a gaggle of shouting American journalists.

Anything can happen. Sometimes, the US President is content to discuss domestic American matters; in this case, the visiting foreign leader suffers no harm and is left to admire the garish gold decorations Mr. Trump has now stuck all over the Oval Office.

But on other occasions, President Trump directs all his attention to the foreign leader, and the results can be disastrous. Think of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, publicly humiliated in front of the world's TV cameras by Mr. Trump, who told him that Ukraine "holds no cards" in its war against Russia. Or South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, ambushed in the White House by Mr. Trump, who decided to show journalists videos alleging crimes in South Africa.

Many European leaders try to survive the ordeal by either flattering or humouring the US President. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pulled out of his pocket a letter from King Charles III, inviting Mr. Trump to come and stay with Britain's monarch. And French President Emmanuel Macron pretended to be Mr. Trump's closest buddy.

But German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently visited Washington, ignored both British-style flattery and French-style humour. Instead, and with impeccable Germany-style seriousness, he presented Mr. Trump with a framed copy of the German birth certificate of the President's grandfather, whose name was also Friedrich, and who immigrated to the US from Germany in the late 19th century.

The gesture touched President Trump's heart and secured a diplomatic victory for the German leader, who returned home to general praise and a massive sigh of national relief.