FOREIGN DIGNITARIES/G20/GERMANY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to focus on the world’s problems, perhaps as a way of limiting discussion on their own tensions. In a meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit here in Osaka, Japan, Trump and Merkel centered their comments on problems in other nations: Libya and the Sahel region of Africa, eastern Ukraine and Iran. They also addressed the trade issues between the EU and the U.S. According to the White House, Trump and Merkel discussed ‘a wide range of issues, including Iran’s dangerous activity in the Middle East.’ According to Merkel’s spokesperson, Steffen Seibert, that part of the conversation was on ‘the U.S. conflict with Iran.’ The differences in the readouts between the White House‘s version and the German chancellery‘s hinted at the deep, ongoing stress in U.S.-German dealings. The relationship has soured significantly since Trump took office and began relentlessly bashing Berlin over military spending and what he believes is an unfair trade imbalance.”
–David Herszenhorn and Jakob Hanke, “Trump, Merkel present friendly front despite simmering tensions,” Politico, June 28, 2019 12:19 am