Merz, on the other hand, urged a less confrontational approach to Trump, acknowledging that a trade war would be especially damaging to Germany’s export-oriented economy while expressing confidence Berlin and Paris would find a common position.
“France is affected by the American tariffs to a different extent than we are, and in this respect I understand that the French government and the French president want to react a little more harshly than we do,” Merz said. “Nevertheless, we are trying to adopt and will manage to find a common position” before EU leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday.
German officials have often expressed frustration that Macron has been willing to take a more combative approach to Trump, but hasn’t moved as aggressively to increase Europe’s autonomy from the U.S. by striking additional trade deals with other parts of the world. French opposition, for instance, has long held up Europe’s deal with the Mercosur trade bloc in South America.
Merz said he intended to try to meet with Trump at Davos on Wednesday to try to reduce tensions and change the president’s mind about tariffs, saying he thought a joint solution to protect Greenland and avert a trade war remained within reach.
“We know from the experience of the last 12 months that Trump repeatedly threatens to impose tariffs,” said Merz. “He often does so, but often enough, talks and negotiations with him lead him to refrain from doing so. And that has been my strategy for the last nine months, or the last eight months, since I took office. And I will continue to pursue it in exactly the same way.”
By contrast, the French president has been far more outspoken in countering Trump’s trade threats.