In an interview with the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, published on Friday, Merkel said: Trump “A challenge to the world, especially to multilateralism.”
She said: “In fact, what awaits us now is not easy because the most powerful economy in the world is behind this president.”
Merkel worked with four US presidents while serving as chancellor Germany.
She was in power throughout Trump’s first term, which was the most tense period for German-American relations during the 16 years she spent in office, which ended in late 2021.
Merkel recalled a “strange” moment when she met Trump for the first time The white house During the month of March 2017.
The photographers chanted “handshake” and Merkel asked Trump Quietly, “Do you want to shake hands?” But he did not respond and was looking forward with his hands clasped.
The magazine quoted Merkel as saying: “I tried to persuade him to shake hands at the request of the photographers because I thought he might not have noticed that they wanted to take such a picture… Of course, his refusal was calculated.”
But the two shook hands in other meetings during the visit.
When asked what any German chancellor should know about dealing with Trump, she said Merkel He “was very curious and wanted to know the details, but only to read them and find arguments that strengthened him and weakened others.”
She added: “The more people there were in the room, the more he was motivated to be the winner. You couldn’t chat with him. Every meeting was a competition: you or me.”
Merkel said she was “saddened” by Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in the presidential elections held on November 5.
“It was really disappointing for me not to win,” she said Hillary Clinton “In 2016. I would have preferred a different result.”
