German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented a replica of a 1785 US-Prussia trade treaty to President Donald Trump while firmly rejecting US threats to cut trade with Spain.

WASHINGTON: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented US President Donald Trump with a replica of a 1785 friendship and trade treaty between the United States and Prussia during a meeting at the White House.

Merz noted that the treaty was the first international trade agreement signed between the US and a third country, which in this case was Prussia, a historical German state.

This symbolic gift followed a previous meeting in June 2025 where Merz had given Trump a gold-framed copy of his grandfather’s historical birth certificate and an engraved golf club featuring the flags of both nations.

Separately, Merz firmly rejected threats from Trump to cut economic ties with Spain, which the US president had criticised for denying permission to use its military bases during recent strikes on Iran.

“I told him very clearly: You cannot conclude an isolated agreement with Germany, or an agreement with all of Europe but excluding Spain,” Merz told German broadcaster ARD after the meeting.

The German chancellor underscored that Spain is a member of the European Union and any trade negotiations with the US must be conducted collectively or not at all.

He stressed there was no way to single out Spain for punitive treatment, as trade negotiations for the EU single market are handled exclusively by the European Commission on behalf of all 27 member states.

 The Sun Malaysia