The consensus was that he handled it quite well: The new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz got through his first visit to US President Donald Trump without any heated exchanges or diplomatic faux pas. Although he hardly had a chance to speak during the nearly 50-minute press conference in the Oval Office, he was able to say that Germany will continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia.

For his part, Trump treated the conservative politician with more respect than he did former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was not invited to the White House, or Angela Merkel, whom Trump once famously refused to shake hands with in the Oval Office.

Things have been pretty busy in German politics since May 6, when Merz, of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), took office. Since then, Germany's new head of government has made surprising statements and bold announcements nearly every week.

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This is in contrast to his predecessor Scholz, of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), who became known for his tendency to keep the public in the dark about his plans. Scholz had consistently urged his staff to adhere to the motto: "We will not be upset, we will not become hysterical." In other words, he was at pains to convey a sense of calm.

Merz, on the other hand, never hid his impatience at having to wait so long in the wings........

© Deutsche Welle