(Article from Germany's "biggest" newspaper, run through Google translate and cleaned it up a little so it's readable) Sums things nicely up... This is after the Merkel visit and what Germany/Germans and the rest of Europe I guess are thinking...)
Trump sees himself as "Zero Hour"
Relationship Status: It's complicated.
For the first time since the end of the Second World War, millions of Americans like a German leader much more than their own president. For the first time, you can hear: The US President met the leader of the free Western world.
Normally, America would ask the question: Does the new one like the Chancellor? But now many ask themselves: Does the Chancellor like the new one?
After Merkel's visit to US President Donald Trump, the question arises: Will Trump try to become as big as Merkel? Or will he try to make her small? Will envy or ambition drive him?
Reception at an unassuming side-entrance to the White House, a handshake that did not exist, a NSA joke at the press conference - Trumps liberal critics in the US see his behavior at the Merkel visit as an insult to the Chancellor.
At the press conference, you couldn't tell whether the Chancellor felt awkward - even as Trump made a joke about the NSA-wiretapping scandal.
New York Times columnist Roger Cohen: "It is absolutely outrageous how Trump treats Merkel. Trump does not like strong women. He can not stand strong women. And he is afraid of strong, competent, smart women like Angela Merkel. "
"It's obvious that he hates her," says late-night talker Bill Maher. "And as we all know he's so incredibly good at hiding this ..."
CNN commentator and US General Mark Hertling: "I apologize to all my German friends for the rude treatment of Chancellor Merkel. This is the opposite of what we are. "
Ex-US ambassador Michael McFaul about Trump's refused hand-shake: "This petty insult is inexcusable."
The beginning of a wonderful friendship is usually different. And the world currently could use a stable German-American friendship between the German Chancellery and the Oval Office.
However, Chancellor Merkel doesn't see Trump's behaviour as dramatic as American commentators do. Being unaffected is one of her greatest strengths. And those who are quickly offended in politics (like Trump), who measure their own importance with the handshake to others, make themselves small.
Merkel's team seemed rather eerily fascinated by Trumps's appearance, similarly captivated as if one watches a Tarantino movie with its shudder aesthetics.
The puppet-like-beautiful daughter Ivanka who, without any official position, is sitting at the table next to Merkel and praising the president: "I applaud my father for his determination to create millions of jobs."
The president, who listens to German business leaders with his arms crossed, who only lights up when his daughter speaks.
In the background, gloomy looking advisor Steve Bannon who wants to create a new America with Trump.
Merkel and her team also seemed more amused by Trump's joke that they at least had something in common, that both had been wiretapped by the Obama administration. The question here however is when not being concerned becomes careless. Carelessness for the fact that our world is changing for the worse. On one hand, a joke it sure is, yes.
But, on the other hand, the man who once was seen as being the leader of the free world, used the public stage with the chancellor to repeat an accusation which, according to all that is known, is untrue or false. An accusation which dictators use if they want to discredit and then arrest their unpopular predecessors.
"Trump draws foreign allies into his play of confusion about wiretapping without evidence", the Washington Post writes.
And many other things that Trump said standing next to Merkel had been something between wrong, untrue and false.
Germany's subcontractors had negotiated better economic agreements with the USA than the Americans?
There are no economic agreements and it's not Germany which is negotiating with the US, but the EU.
Many NATO members would owe NATO "huge sums of money from recent years"?
One can not owe any money to NATO, only to one's own defense budget.
Trump changes the world in which we live. The most powerful man in the world has declared war on the concept of facts, and this is noticeable when one enters his White House.
His time begins with him. He knows no historical alliances, commitments and traditions. He is himself the Zero Hour. He is his standard. What he says, is. What he does not say, is not. What shouldn't be cannot be said in his presence. He is without history, except for his own.
This is not the West that America symbolizes. This is not what we stand for. So begins the darkness. "Democracy dies in the dark" has been the new slogan of the "Washington Post" since Trumps was inaugurated.
Every new US president has the right (and also the electoral mandate) to shape the country according to his ideas. But no one has the right to reduce America to himself and his own world view.
Every US president has the right to love his daughter and think that she's brilliant. But this is not enough to put the destiny of a nation, a world order, in her hands. Democrats are accountable. Trump doesn't know accountability.
"Well, people are different," Merkel said at the end about Trump. But they were both elected to represent the different interests of their countries. Ever since the US president's name is Donald Trump, such a sentence sounds quite normal.
With the United States it was always about the common things, the unifying things. Even a Trump must be given time so he can find his way. But America, it seems, has become darker.
Trump sees himself as "Zero Hour"
Relationship Status: It's complicated.
For the first time since the end of the Second World War, millions of Americans like a German leader much more than their own president. For the first time, you can hear: The US President met the leader of the free Western world.
Normally, America would ask the question: Does the new one like the Chancellor? But now many ask themselves: Does the Chancellor like the new one?
After Merkel's visit to US President Donald Trump, the question arises: Will Trump try to become as big as Merkel? Or will he try to make her small? Will envy or ambition drive him?
Reception at an unassuming side-entrance to the White House, a handshake that did not exist, a NSA joke at the press conference - Trumps liberal critics in the US see his behavior at the Merkel visit as an insult to the Chancellor.
At the press conference, you couldn't tell whether the Chancellor felt awkward - even as Trump made a joke about the NSA-wiretapping scandal.
New York Times columnist Roger Cohen: "It is absolutely outrageous how Trump treats Merkel. Trump does not like strong women. He can not stand strong women. And he is afraid of strong, competent, smart women like Angela Merkel. "
"It's obvious that he hates her," says late-night talker Bill Maher. "And as we all know he's so incredibly good at hiding this ..."
CNN commentator and US General Mark Hertling: "I apologize to all my German friends for the rude treatment of Chancellor Merkel. This is the opposite of what we are. "
Ex-US ambassador Michael McFaul about Trump's refused hand-shake: "This petty insult is inexcusable."
The beginning of a wonderful friendship is usually different. And the world currently could use a stable German-American friendship between the German Chancellery and the Oval Office.
However, Chancellor Merkel doesn't see Trump's behaviour as dramatic as American commentators do. Being unaffected is one of her greatest strengths. And those who are quickly offended in politics (like Trump), who measure their own importance with the handshake to others, make themselves small.
Merkel's team seemed rather eerily fascinated by Trumps's appearance, similarly captivated as if one watches a Tarantino movie with its shudder aesthetics.
The puppet-like-beautiful daughter Ivanka who, without any official position, is sitting at the table next to Merkel and praising the president: "I applaud my father for his determination to create millions of jobs."
The president, who listens to German business leaders with his arms crossed, who only lights up when his daughter speaks.
In the background, gloomy looking advisor Steve Bannon who wants to create a new America with Trump.
Merkel and her team also seemed more amused by Trump's joke that they at least had something in common, that both had been wiretapped by the Obama administration. The question here however is when not being concerned becomes careless. Carelessness for the fact that our world is changing for the worse. On one hand, a joke it sure is, yes.
But, on the other hand, the man who once was seen as being the leader of the free world, used the public stage with the chancellor to repeat an accusation which, according to all that is known, is untrue or false. An accusation which dictators use if they want to discredit and then arrest their unpopular predecessors.
"Trump draws foreign allies into his play of confusion about wiretapping without evidence", the Washington Post writes.
And many other things that Trump said standing next to Merkel had been something between wrong, untrue and false.
Germany's subcontractors had negotiated better economic agreements with the USA than the Americans?
There are no economic agreements and it's not Germany which is negotiating with the US, but the EU.
Many NATO members would owe NATO "huge sums of money from recent years"?
One can not owe any money to NATO, only to one's own defense budget.
Trump changes the world in which we live. The most powerful man in the world has declared war on the concept of facts, and this is noticeable when one enters his White House.
His time begins with him. He knows no historical alliances, commitments and traditions. He is himself the Zero Hour. He is his standard. What he says, is. What he does not say, is not. What shouldn't be cannot be said in his presence. He is without history, except for his own.
This is not the West that America symbolizes. This is not what we stand for. So begins the darkness. "Democracy dies in the dark" has been the new slogan of the "Washington Post" since Trumps was inaugurated.
Every new US president has the right (and also the electoral mandate) to shape the country according to his ideas. But no one has the right to reduce America to himself and his own world view.
Every US president has the right to love his daughter and think that she's brilliant. But this is not enough to put the destiny of a nation, a world order, in her hands. Democrats are accountable. Trump doesn't know accountability.
"Well, people are different," Merkel said at the end about Trump. But they were both elected to represent the different interests of their countries. Ever since the US president's name is Donald Trump, such a sentence sounds quite normal.
With the United States it was always about the common things, the unifying things. Even a Trump must be given time so he can find his way. But America, it seems, has become darker.