Trump Stands By Unproven Wiretap Claim At Joint News Conference With Merkel

Stark differences between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on everything from trade to immigration were in full view during an icy first meeting at the White House Friday.

The White House meeting, one of Trump’s first with a foreign leader since his inauguration, is a recognition on both sides of the importance of U.S. The itinerary includes discussions on strengthening North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, fighting the Islamic State group and resolving Ukraine’s conflict, all matters that require close cooperation between the US and Germany, the White House said ahead of the visit.

In a conciliatory tone, a White House official said that Trump will seek out Merkel’s views on Russian Federation. “The Washington Post justified Merkel’s remark’s saying, “[She] has guided Germany to the zenith of its post-World War II power” and Huffington Post cheered Merkel’s “not-so-subtle warning to Donald Trump after his Presidential win” and admiringly citing her role as the “driving force behind the EU’s acceptance of hundreds of thousands of refugees”.

A joint press conference between Mr. Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to start around 1:20 p.m. ET. The pragmatic Merkel is now on her third United States president and appears to be looking to find a way to forge a relationship with Trump without buying into his political values.

“The other option is that we file a suit against him at the WTO – there are procedures laid out there because in the WTO agreements it is clearly laid out that you’re not allowed to take more than 2.5% taxes on imports of cars”, Ms Zypries said.

Amid a furor over Trump’s unfounded allegations that he was wiretapped by Obama, the new president cracked a joke referring to past revelations that Merkel’s phone had also been bugged by his Democratic predecessor.

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“Some would say she’s the most important leader in the world right now”.

Only five of NATO’s 28 members spent 2% or more of their GDP on defense in 2016.

Merkel responded that Germany had boosted defense spending by eight percent past year and was committed to reaching the two percent of GDP goal by 2024 under the agreement with all 28 members of the alliance.

Merkel said after meeting Trump for the first time, “It’s always much better to talk to one another than about one another”.

But earlier this week, for the second time federal courts blocked a Trump’s travel order.

Trump will acknowledge the leadership shown by Germany and France, but will make clear the US wants to play a greater role in finding a solution to the Ukraine crisis, senior administration officials said. She also noted that free trade pacts increased employment, despite some initial fears at home. “So if there’s an import tax coming from the US, then the USA will probably have to face something similar from Europe”. Many live in Southern states that Trump won in the USA election.