Merz at Trump's: The Chancellor's luxurious residence in Washington – 119 rooms, marble bathrooms, elegant dining room

It is the first major appearance of Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Washington since taking office on May 6 – and Donald Trump is bringing out the heavy artillery of protocol: The US President is welcoming the new German head of government with all the pomp and circumstance that the American state machine has to offer.

Merz and Trump had previously met only briefly in New York – a brief moment, years ago. Now a new chapter begins: On Wednesday evening, after a dinner with the state premiers in Berlin, Merz departs for Washington. During his trip, Chief of Staff Thorsten Frei will represent him at the parallel conference of state premiers.

Things will get serious on Thursday: a reception in the Oval Office , a one-on-one meeting between the Chancellor and Trump, a lunch with all the trimmings – and, to top it all off, a joint press conference. The US President, not usually known for his diplomatic reserve, appears tame, almost chummy. Insiders report that he has "respect for Merz's economic expertise." Merz's first visit is therefore about whether the two really have a good rapport.

But it will not just be a matter of shaking hands and getting to know each other: the talks in Washington are likely to focus on efforts to end the war in Ukraine , NATO's response to growing external threats and the tariff dispute between the US and the EU.

Last week, Trump announced that he would increase import tariffs on steel and aluminum to the US to 50 percent as early as next Wednesday. The EU Commission has already reacted, announcing retaliatory measures if it comes to that. The US president's statements undermine the "ongoing efforts" to reach a negotiated solution to the trade dispute with the US. Trump's announcement means "additional uncertainty" for the global economy and increases costs for consumers "on both sides of the Atlantic," Brussels said.

Ukraine War: Are Trump and Merz Making Progress?

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Trump had promised during his campaign that he would bring about a swift end. Indeed, diplomatic efforts to end the war have intensified in recent weeks. However, the first direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in three years in Istanbul in mid-May produced no progress toward a ceasefire.

Merz, who visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky in Kyiv three weeks ago with French President Emmanuel Macron , Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has repeatedly called for close coordination between the Europeans and the US in efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine.

Merz and Trump have spoken on the phone several times in recent weeks – once one-on-one and then three times in a larger group with several other European heads of state and government. Merz now has the US President's cell phone number and exchanges messages with him.

The Merz Quarter in Washington: A special honor for state guests

And this is also in the protocol: In Washington, Merz will stay at the legendary Blair House , the official guest house of the US President – ​​a special honor for foreign state guests. It is the most exclusive accommodation for state guests in the US, next to the White House, with 119 rooms covering over 6,000 square meters. These include several salons, a library, an elegant dining room, guest suites with marble bathrooms – and, of course, a dedicated security wing for secret services and bodyguards. The furnishings include antique furniture, oil paintings of famous presidents, heavy carpets, and fireplaces in every room. There are 18 employees who look after the stately property and its guests.

Winston Churchill resided here, as did Queen Elizabeth II , Charles de Gaulle, Helmut Kohl, Angela Merkel, and Olaf Scholz – and now Merz, who now calls Trump by his first name. They call each other by their first names, Friedrich and Donald, it is said.

Since taking office in January, numerous heads of state and government have visited with US President Trump, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Two visits, however, stand out in particular: Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were practically paraded by the US president in front of live cameras in the Oval Office. It will therefore be interesting to see what tone Trump will adopt in his dealings with the Chancellor.