Germany has warned the Donald Trump administration not to interfere in its internal elections, after the US State Department launched a funding program aimed at European organizations and initiatives ideologically aligned with the MAGA movement („Make America Great Again”).
Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Berlin does not interfere in American elections and expects the same treatment from Washington.
According to The Guardian, the reaction comes amid concerns that the new American initiative could influence the European political scene ahead of important elections, including the regional elections in Germany scheduled for September.
Merz: "I do not want the American government to interfere in the elections in Germany"
During a press conference held on Wednesday, Friedrich Merz said that he does not want the American administration to be involved in the German electoral process.
"On our part, we do not interfere in American elections. Instead, I do not want the American government or institutions close to it to interfere in the elections in Germany," stated the chancellor.
Merz also mentioned that German law prohibits the funding of political parties from external sources.
American program of up to 3 million dollars
The US State Department has announced a grant program of up to 3 million dollars for organizations, think tanks, and individuals in Europe.
The official document states that the funding is intended for projects addressing themes such as national sovereignty, migration, censorship, or the so-called "lawfare" (using the judiciary as a political weapon), in line with the "common Western political philosophy and civilizational heritage."
Former officials from the State Department, cited by The Guardian, however, argue that the program is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to redirect public funds to conservative and far-right groups in Europe.
A former American official stated that the eligibility criteria wording is ambiguous enough to potentially allow support for political actors.
"It seems that there is an effort by the State Department to influence the outcome of elections in Europe, giving an unfair advantage to right-wing parties through resources that they would not normally obtain," he declared.
Increasingly tense relations with European allies
The initiative comes after a series of criticisms in recent months by officials from the Trump administration towards Western European governments.
Vice President JD Vance and other representatives of the administration have repeatedly attacked European policies on migration, abortion, freedom of expression, and online platform regulation.
At the same time, American diplomats have intensified contacts with conservative organizations and far-right political groups in Europe.
According to The Guardian, the same strategy has been observed in the UK and Ireland, where American officials have promised funding for projects dedicated to "digital freedom" and have criticized local government policies on combating hate speech.
The grant program is administered by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor within the State Department, a structure created during President Jimmy Carter's term to promote human rights, but critics argue that it has shifted direction under the Trump administration.