Angela Merkel about meeting Trump. “He wanted to attract attention”
The former German leader Angela Merkel described US President Donald Trump as a person constantly looking for attention. Speaking at the event organized by the Greek newspaper “Kathimerini” in Athens on Wednesday evening to promote the Greek translation of her autobiography “Freedom” Merkel reminded how Trump refused to clarify her hand during a meeting in the oval office In March 2017, but he did it outside the office when the cameras were not turned on.
– I made a mistake, saying, “Donald, we should embrace our hands” and he didn't do it. He wanted to attract attention. That's what he wants: to divert attention and make everyone look at him Merkel said. – It can be seen in what he does with the duties. Ultimately, he must provide Americans with good results. He must prove his skills, at least in front of his own country.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump in the oval office. Washington, March 17, 2017
“For him all countries competed with each other”
Merkel added that Europeans “they must be united and not be intimidatedwhen Trump puts more duties to the block, but we should answer our own tariffs. “
– I'm not saying that we should break relations with the US, but we must negotiate. Even the United States cannot survive alone She said. – I see the problematic development of the situation. When the Vice President [J. D.] Vance says: “We are partners and we will support you only if you agree with our concept of freedom,” which means lack of rules and controls, this is actually a threat to our democracy.
Angela Merkel and Donald Trump always had difficult relationships. In her memoirs, she wrote about Trump: “He assessed everything from the entrepreneur's perspective on the real estate market, which he was before politics. Each property could only be assigned once. If he did not get it, someone else did it. He also looked at the world.”
“For him, all countries competed with each other, and The success of one meant the defeat of the other; He did not believe that everyone's prosperity can be increased through cooperation, “the politician summed up.
“At some point I burst into tears because of the pressure”
The visit of the former German Chancellor in Athens took place a few days before the 10th anniversary of the referendum on financial assistance for Greece in 2015. She described her telephone conversation with former Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsiprasin which she learned that Greece would conduct a referendum regarding the adoption of the terms of the rescue package from its international creditors, which could have ended with Greece leaving the euro area.
Merkel said that the conversation was the most “surprising” in her political career and made her “speech”, especially when she learned that Tsipras would run a campaign to vote for “no”. She admitted, however, that she and Tsipras gradually “approached each other” And that he was “honest” and “he didn't try to mislead her.”
Aleksis Tsipras, Greek Prime Minister, and Angela Merkel, German Chancellor. Brussels, October 25, 2015
The former chancellor also said that she and former US president Barack Obama had Different views on how to deal with the growing debt of Greece. In her opinion, the then US president did not understand the legal aspects or the fact that the European Union and the European Central Bank operate differently than the Fed [amerykańska Rezerwa Federalna].
“At some point I burst into tears because of the pressure,” Merkel mentioned, adding with a smile: “The woman cries during the peak …
Merkel also admitted that She never wanted Greece out of the euro area. “I can't imagine Europe without Greece as a strong member,” she said.
