Having occupied the Oval Office, Joe Biden planned to address his first call as president to German Chancellor Angela Merkel but was apparently blown off by her, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The move was planned by Biden as a signal of return "to transatlantic normality after the turbulence of the Trump era", aides told the WSJ. But Merkel had other plans since she was enjoying her time off in a country house near Berlin, gardening and walking by a lake.
According to the report, the chancellor had "dismissed the symbolism as irrelevant", asking her staff to reschedule the call with the US president at a later time.
Instead, Biden had to place his first presidential call to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, discussing how the two countries will deepen their longstanding alliance as they emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe Biden became the president of the United States on 20 January, and has met with Merkel twice since then, the first time during the G7 summit in Cornwall in June and then at a White House tête-à-tête in July.
Merkel is set to step down from her position as German chancellor after 16 years in charge. The election to replace her is scheduled to take place on Sunday. When commenting on her plans after the chancellorship, Merkel said she will do "nothing", later suggesting that she may travel.