Merkel’s Frankness and Clarity Beats Trump’s Virus Bluster

Donald Trump and Angela Merkel were never destined to hit it off, but with the coronavirus sweeping the globe, the depth of their differences—in style and substance—has never been more apparent. The pandemic has amplified the two leaders’ most fundamental traits: for Trump, a proclivity to bask in the limelight and a loose relationship with the facts; for Merkel, the frankness and clarity of a scientist who takes comfort in data.

So far, the German chancellor’s approach has been the clear winner. Merkel’s popularity at home has soared after she consistently delivered sober messages about the toll the virus would take on Germans’ lives. She has urged an international, multilateral response to the pandemic.