German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a sharp warning to the United States on Wednesday, demanding that the Trump administration cease efforts to influence European politics through a newly launched, million-dollar funding program.
The diplomatic friction follows the U.S. State Department’s announcement of a $5 million initiative designed to support “free speech and religious liberty” in Europe. Critics and European officials view the program as a thinly veiled effort by Washington to bolster nationalist and far-right parties across the continent, including Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“We Do Not Interfere; Do Not Interfere With Us”
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Chancellor Merz took a firm stance on state sovereignty and foreign influence.
“We do not interfere in American elections; we’ve always stuck to that. Conversely, I don’t want the American government or government-affiliated institutions to interfere in German elections.”
— German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Merz also reminded Washington that foreign funding of political actors is a direct violation of domestic laws. “It is illegal to finance political parties in Germany from abroad,” Merz added, expressing his expectation that Germany’s allies respect these legal boundaries.
The U.S. Funding Scheme: What is it?
First reported by the Financial Times, the U.S. State Department’s new grant scheme offers individual applicants up to $3 million out of a total $5 million pool.
According to the official call for applications, the funds are intended to:
- Strengthen “democratic resilience, rule of law, and freedom of speech.”
- Address challenges related to national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and “lawfare.”
- Target European Union regulations on U.S. big tech, accusing supranational bodies of using “vague hate-speech laws” to suppress political participation.
While political parties are not explicitly named as eligible recipients, German officials worry the capital will flow to civil society organizations and think tanks directly linked to the far-right AfD.
[ TENSIONS OVER U.S. FUNDING ]
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[ The Washington Objective ] [ The Berlin Response ]
• Target EU big tech regulations. • Merz warns against election meddling.
• Fund "Western civilizational heritage." • Reminds allies: Foreign party funding is illegal.
• Promote sovereignty & anti-migration messaging. • Protects German democratic boundaries.
The AfD and the MAGA Connection
The clash comes at a highly sensitive time for German domestic politics. The AfD is currently polling first nationally and is eyeing historic gains in the upcoming state elections in Saxony-Anhalt this September.
The party has previously celebrated support from prominent U.S. conservative figures, including tech billionaire Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance. However, with crucial regional elections on the horizon, AfD leadership has recently attempted to publicly distance itself from the MAGA movement to focus on local, eastern German issues.
Despite denials of political meddling from senior U.S. officials, the implementation of this funding project has placed a significant strain on transatlantic relations early in President Trump’s second term.
