The German government does not attach great significance to the short conversation that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had with US President Donald Trump at the funeral service for Pope Francis in the Vatican on Saturday. “I have already hinted that this was a very large event with many delegations” said Government Spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Monday in response to a request from the dts news agency. “In that sense, I would not overestimate all these contacts and conversations that may have taken place on the sidelines.” Overall, the exchange with other guests was mostly about “friendly, brief encounters” that “usually go very superficially” according to the government spokesman. The conversation at the Pope’s funeral was the first personal meeting between Scholz and the US President since Trump’s inauguration in January.
German Government Plays Down Significance
