General
In Germany, Biden Prepares for a Farewell Visit to a Key Ally
The president’s hastily rescheduled trip to Berlin will last less than a day. The German government has trimmed back its celebrations accordingly.
The first traffic barricades in Berlin were already up last week in preparation for the first official state visit by an American president since German reunification. But then came the news from the weatherman and President Biden himself: Hurricane Milton was bearing down on Florida, and Mr. Biden’s visit would need to wait.
The wait was not long, but the rescheduled visit that takes place Friday will not be the grand celebration that German officials originally planned.
Mr. Biden will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in what could be the last trip to Europe of his presidency. He will then participate in a multilateral meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain to discuss strategy for the war in Ukraine.
The speed with which U.S. officials rescheduled the visit underscores Mr. Biden’s desire to get to Germany as the end of his term approaches. The president is seeking to show solidarity with a key ally, Mr. Scholz, who has stood with Mr. Biden on key issues — and who praised Mr. Biden’s mental acuity and fortitude this summer, amid pointed calls for president to end his re-election bid.
The visit will also highlight the strength of a German-American alliance that Mr. Biden has worked hard to rebuild after four years of erosion under former President Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Biden, who is scheduled to arrive Thursday night, will board Air Force One to return home before dinner time on Friday, spending less than 24 hours on the ground in Germany.
