When Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany presented President Trump with a soccer jersey emblazoned with the number 47 on Tuesday morning, it was the kind of gesture that a foreign leader might have made during his first term: flattering, emollient, and calculated to please.
After a Bitter Split, European Leaders Play Nice With Trump
June 18, 2026
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Robert Johnston
When Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany presented President Trump with a soccer jersey emblazoned with the number 47 on Tuesday morning, it was the kind of gesture that a foreign leader might have made during his first term: flattering, emollient, and calculated to please.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/16/world/europe/trump-g7-leaders-europe.html
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