- Title: "He's currently not that happy with me" - Germany's Merz jokes about Trump
- Date: 20th March 2026
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE - OCTOBER 14, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) WIDE OF U.S. PRESIDENT TRUMP MEETING IN THE CABINET ROOM AT THE WHITE HOUSE / REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH, SAYING: “The Pentagon press corps of all press corps would be front and center across the board on wanting to give credit to th
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: Donald Trump Germany Iran Merz Ukraine
- Location: BAD DUERKHEIM, GERMANY
- City: BAD DUERKHEIM, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001581220032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joked about U.S. President Donald Trump being 'currently not that happy' with him during a campaign event on Friday (March 20).
Speaking to supporters of his conservative CDU ahead of state elections in the Western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Merz said he was pondering inviting Trump to a traditional sausage market in Bad Duerkheim, where the campaign event took place.
"I don’t know yet whether I’ll succeed. Nor do I know if everyone is so keen on the idea. At least for the Secret Service, it will be a nightmare," Merz said amidst laughter of the audience, adding that he would be speaking with Trump over the weekend.
Merz stressed the importance of transatlantic relations, saying he wanted to fight for it "despite all the odds, so that we can reach an understanding with the Americans in the future about our view of humanity, our concept of democracy, and our shared understanding of international law".
Rhineland-Palatinate, home region of Trump's grandfather Friedrich Trump, who emigrated from there to the US in 1885, will be electing a new state parliament on Sunday (March 22). Merz's Conservatives are in a tight race with the currently governing Social Democrats and their three-party coalition with the Green party and the liberal party.
(Production: Petra Wischgoll, Anna Dittrich) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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