In April, administration officials vowed to sign trade deals with as many as 90 countries in 90 days. The ambitious target came after Mr. Trump announced, and then rolled back a portion of, steep tariffs that in some cases meant import taxes cost more than the wholesale price of a good itself.

Germany’s new chancellor has a mission when he meets President Trump: keeping him invested in the fate of Europe. Friedrich Merz is the latest leader from the continent to travel to the White House in recent weeks,