During a joint press conference Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared less than amused as President Donald Trump went off on a lengthy story about how he negotiated a lower price for the United States embassy set to open in Jerusalem next month.
Related: Video: Trump Dusts Dandruff Off French President Emmanuel Macron 'to Make Him Perfect'
From the East Room of the White House, Trump said he "half-signed" an order to build a new embassy in Jerusalem, stopping after his first name when he saw it would cost $1 billion. The president said he spoke with his ambassador and favored the option to open the embassy in a section of an existing building for $150,000.
But not to be cheap, Trump said he suggested upping the retrofit to $300,000 or $400,000.
"We have a great site. The site is better than anything you can imagine, but that's the way government works. They were going to spend a billion, and we're going to spend much less than a half a million," Trump said, going off on a tangent when asked whether he intended to attend the embassy's opening. "Could have done it for much less than that, but I said, 'Let's make it really nice,' so that's what it is."
Meanwhile, Merkel, who has endured a frayed relationship with Trump, did not nod or show any signs of approval as the president bragged, even as he at one point turned directly in her direction, seeking approval for his frugalness and negotiating skills. Instead, Merkel looked down at the podium and around the room without smiling, and only occasionally looked over at Trump.
"I may go," Trump said, addressing the question of whether he would be there for the opening. "Very proud of it."
He added, "As you know, the embassy in Jerusalem, it's been promised for many, many years by presidents. They all make campaign promises, and they never have the courage to carry it out. I carried it out."
Germany is one of many countries that urged the U.S. not to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
