Sign up for our newsletter.

Quality journalism. Progressive values. Direct to your inbox.

Follow us:

Angela Merkel and Donald Trump

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Donald Trump pose for a photograph before their joint press conference Friday. (Photo: Getty)

Twitter Lights Up After 'Too Embarrassing to Watch' Trump-Merkel Press Conference

President Donald Trump slipped up and called the U.S. a "company," ignored German Chancellor Angela Merkel's request for a handshake, and called a German press outlet "fake news"

Nika Knight

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel met with President Donald Trump for the first time Friday, and the encounter between the liberal European leader and the far-right, demagogic president was, if anything, extraordinarily awkward.

Trump ignored Merkel's request for a handshake, provoked a look of disbelief when he repeated his allegations that President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones—"we have that in common," he told Merkel—and called a German newspaper "fake news" after a reporter asked him a question. He appeared to find it difficult to bring himself to look at the German chancellor.

And while many expected that Merkel, who has advocated welcoming and resettling refugees even as other European countries have closed their borders to asylum seekers, would clash with Trump over immigration, Trump instead appeared to entirely dodge her appeal for more humane immigration policies.

On Twitter, disbelief and embarrassment was the overwhelming response to what one pundit described as the "most remarkable/bizarre press conference between two allies I've ever seen":

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Comments

... We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Latest News

See all
Abortion rights protest

'Global Empire of the US Christian Right': Dark Money Fuels Attacks on Abortion Rights Worldwide

The findings of a new investigation, said one observer, "further demonstrate the growing trend of religious extremists forging cross-border alliances" to gut abortion rights.

Jake Johnson ·

Demonstrators protest killer robots in Berlin.

'Sad But Unsurprising': Biden Administration Rejects Calls for Ban on 'Killer Robots'

Campaigners warn that autonomous weapons systems pose "grave threats" worldwide.

Jake Johnson ·

marijuana raid

AOC, Joyce Introduce Bipartisan Bill for 'Immediate Relief' From Cannabis Convictions

"Goes to show that lawmakers don't have to agree on everything to find common ground on solutions to the challenges facing everyday Americans."

Brett Wilkins ·

Biden, Haaland

Green Groups Demand Answers About 'Flimsy' and Buried Biden Drilling Report

"Public records released as a result of this request will shine light on the dangerous chasm separating Biden's climate promises from his refusal to phase out the use of our public lands and waters for oil and gas extraction."

Jessica Corbett ·

A protest against Shell's Cambo oil field project

'Protest Works': Cheers as Shell Signals Pullout of Cambo Oil Field Project

"We have to see the end of North Sea projects as well as all new fossil fuel extraction: There is no future in them."

Julia Conley ·

Most Popular

 
  1. Africans Should Be 'Applauded, Not Punished,' Say Advocates Amid Omicron Travel Ban
  2. Biden Drilling Report Blasted as 'Shocking Capitulation to the Needs of Corporate Polluters'
  3. AOC Laments How Accused Predator Kavanaugh Ready to Rule on 'Whether to Legalize Forced Birth in the US'
  4. GOP Reject Vaccine Mandates for Men, But Demand Pregnancy Mandates for Women
  5. 200+ Groups to Democrats in Congress: No Holiday Recess Until You Pass Voting Rights
  6. War World III May Arrive Sooner Than You Think
  7. Progressive Coalition to Schumer: No More Cuts to Popular Build Back Better Bill
  8. Nearly 300 Artists, Celebrities Demand Hollywood End 'Disturbing' Support for Big Pharma's Vaccine Monopolies
  9. Win for Alabama Workers as NLRB Orders New Union Vote After Amazon's Alleged Misconduct
  10. Omicron Shows Corporate Media Critics of China's Zero-Covid Strategy Are Way Off the Mark

Support our work.

We are independent, non-profit, advertising-free and 100% reader supported.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Quality journalism. Progressive values.
Direct to your inbox.

Subscribe to our Newsletter.

Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit | Privacy Policy
Common Dreams Logo

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.