Trump said he had "German blood in his veins" and Merkel laughed in her face

A strange episode took place on Monday between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France.

"I have German blood in my veinsTrump said in reference to his ancestors, from Kallstadt, in the western federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, during which Merkel, who was with him at the press conference, laughed.

Although their countries are close partners, the two leaders have a tense relationship. Since coming to power in January 2017, Trump has never traveled for Bilateral visit to Germany. Instead, he has already made two trips to France and the United Kingdom. He will also travel to Poland for the second time next weekend.

Trump was only in Germany for the G20 summit in Hamburg in July 2017, then in December for a brief intermediate stop at the US base in Ramstein, Germany, on his return flight from Iraq.

The United States and Germany are such close partners that a visit by the US president is always welcome, government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer told Berlin, adding that the federal government would welcome the visit.