Donald Trump transformed diplomacy and foreign policy into something new: the soap opera. American president, who – contrary to the claims – was successful not so much as an entrepreneur as above all as Reality show characterremains faithful to this logic also on The most important position of the world.
After visiting the leaders of states and heads of government, he does not organize press conferences, but forces them to speech in front of live cameras. The course of these television events is – as in the reality show – roughly planned, and therefore predetermined. The culmination was the humiliation of Wołodymyr Zelanski in the White House in February. “It was a good television,” Trump commented at the time.
No German Chancellor – except maybe Konrad Adenauer and Willy Brandt – did not focus at the beginning of his term on his term of office foreign policy As much as Friedrich Merz. Already as the opposition leader, the head of the CDU flew by Bundeswehr planes in Europe and beyond. Merz made contacts that he immediately used after taking office. His priority is not internal or economic policy, but clearly Europe and the world. His calendar has been completed by the war in Ukraine, the confusion in the Middle East, and the transatlantic customs dispute.
This is particularly noticeable, because in the case of Merz's direct predecessor it was different. Already in February 2022, Olaf Scholz left the joint photo at the beginning of the special NATO summit after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, because at night the situation with the government got out of Berlin from control. The coalition used so much energy to fight with each other that she had no more strength for Europe.
Even France was not previously informed about the gigantic package of EUR 200 billion (PLN 853 billion) for supporting the German economy during the gas crisis. Scholz had to suffer the consequences of the fact that Germany was in a compromising situation after Russian aggression because they ignored warnings for a long time.
Merz wanted to fill this gap and he succeeded. His approach consisting in organizing a European position and handing it over to Washington is correct: when the Chancellor went with the allies to Kiev, they also called Emmanuel Macron's mobile phone to connect with Trump. Now Merz invited Zelanski and Europeans to Berlin to connect with Trump from there. Together with the Ukrainian, Europeans even went to Washington to represent their interests.
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International spectacle
Currently, Trump's show has reached the reconstruction of historical negotiations between US presidents and the leaders of the Soviet Union, which is to refer to previous television experiences to the American audience. It is no accident that Trump himself published two photos, which are surprisingly similar, even in gestures: one depicts Trump with Putin, and the other Nixon with Khrushchev.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ławrow showed that he understood this, already by choosing an outfit: he came to Alaska in a sweater with the inscription “CCCP” (Russian short for the USSR). In fact, of course, there was no superpower meeting. If the US antagonist exists today, they are it China.
Putin focused on the stabilization of the Zbójec states and is not successful himself: recently the dictator Baszszar al-Amin in Syria, and the anti-aircraft weapon provided to him by Iran was unmasked by Israeli aircraft.
So Merz had to not only try find a role in the international arena, but also in the Trump show. In this respect, the Chancellor lost the role model: Angela Merkel in the first term of Trump was presented as his opponent, and at the end of her term she introduced herself.
Ludovic Marin / AFP
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump, Haga, June 25, 2025.
A moment of fame of Merza
As an alleged “free West leader” (because Trump did not fulfill this function) Merkel gained recognition and even fame. It is no coincidence that she gave her most important speech of her last term at the University on the east coast of the United States: Liberal America has moved its dissatisfaction with Trump to a distant German.
To this day, Merkel successfully uses this heritage, including in your memories. But she also paid the price: at the end of the term, the Chancellor had almost no relationship with Trump.
Germany – as well as Europe and Ukraine – cannot afford it today. Merz could not play the role of the enemy in Trump's soap opera. During his first visit to Washington, he seemed rather to fall in the role of a statistics. Trump for a few minutes gave tyrady about his former supporter and sponsor Elon Musk, almost forgetting about the German sitting next to him.
Merz, however, did not satisfy the role of the statistics, but repeatedly emphasized his position. Already during the G-7 summit in Canada in June He objected to the presidentwho regretted that Putin was not invited. Instead, the Chancellor recalled his “war crimes”. Also last week, when Trump in the White House convened Europeans like students, Merz – in consultation with the British and French – emphasized the decisive issue: Before negotiations with Russia, there must be a ceasefire in Ukraine.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
