Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany spoke rarely but reverently, and found a warm reception in the Oval Office. Now he hopes to turn rapport into policy wins.

Germany’s new chancellor has a mission when he meets President Trump: keeping him invested in the fate of Europe. Friedrich Merz is the latest leader from the continent to travel to the White House in recent weeks,

Having been elected Germany's chancellor just a few weeks prior, Friedrich Merz's visit to the White House on Thursday turned out to be his first major test in foreign relations — and how to remain calm when things got awkward.