Merz arrives at White House for high-stakes Oval Office talk with President Donald Trump in the same format as recent clashes with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

Update 12:40 ET — Trump dings Elon

President Trump was prompted by a question from the floor to respond to Elon Musk’s criticism of the BBB. Hitting back, he said: “Elon and I had a great relationship… I don’t know if we will any more… I’ll tell you, he’s not the first, people leave my administration, and they love us, and then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it, and some of them actually become hostile.”

More to come on that shortly.

Update 12:25 ET — Lunch

Chancellor Merz will be feeling relieved that, sitting between President Trump on one hand and o

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