German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Oval Office meeting with President Trump may have been overshadowed by Trump's friction with Elon Musk, but it nonetheless made headlines. Merz encouraged Trump to play a strong role in getting Russia to end its war against Ukraine, and he reminded the president that Friday is the anniversary of D-Day, when the US helped end another European war, reports the Washington Post. At which point, Trump interjected with a joke, per Newsweek:
- Trump: "That was not a pleasant day for you."
- Merz: "No, that was not a pleasant—well—"
- Trump: "This was not a great day (for Germany)."
- Merz: "In the long run, Mr. President, this was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship."
- Trump: "That's true."