Overview

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz has formally invited President Donald Trump to visit his ancestral hometown of Bad Dürkheim in Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate region.
• The visit is part of a broader diplomatic effort to reinforce U.S.–German relations and address shared security challenges, including NATO commitments and the Ukraine war.
• Merz announced plans to travel to Washington soon for further discussions with Trump on transatlantic cooperation and defense priorities.
• Trump’s ancestors emigrated from the nearby village of Kallstadt in the late 19th century, a connection Merz hopes to leverage for symbolic and diplomatic impact.
• This outreach builds on two recent phone calls between Merz and Trump, including one from Kyiv with other European leaders, emphasizing unity in addressing global challenges.