Trump congratulates far-right AfD on Saxony-Anhalt win, prompting German government rebuke and Merz call delay
US President Donald Trump congratulated the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on its election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, calling it a "really big night" and criticizing German immigration rules. The German government rejected the intervention, with Transatlantic Coordinator Metin Hakverdi stating, "We do not need advice from the White House." Chancellor Friedrich Merz postponed a scheduled call with Trump amid the diplomatic friction. The AfD is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist group by German authorities.
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Merz postpones call with Trump after US president congratulates German far-right AfD
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has postponed a scheduled telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, originally planned to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius declined to give a specific reason but indicated the delay was not due to scheduling conflicts. The postponement is widely seen as a response to Trump's public congratulations to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on its election victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, calling the AfD's performance 'a really big night' and using the acronym 'MGGA' (Make Germany Great Again). The German federal government has formally rejected Trump's comments, with Transatlantic Coordinator Metin Hakverdi stating, 'We Germans decide for ourselves how we deal with migration and also who we vote for. We don't need advice from the White House.' The SPD's parliamentary managing director Dirk Wiese also criticized the US president's interference in German domestic politics. The incident marks a significant diplomatic friction between Berlin and Washington, highlighting tensions over the Trump administration's sympathy for right-wing populist parties in Europe.
Germany rejects Trump's praise for far-right AfD after state election win
US President Donald Trump congratulated the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on its election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, calling it a 'really big night' and praising the party's opposition to 'absolutely terrible immigration rules.' The German government firmly rejected the intervention, with Transatlantic Coordinator Metin Hakverdi (SPD) stating that Germany does not need advice from the White House on migration or elections. SPD parliamentary managing director Dirk Wiese also expressed outrage, comparing Trump's comments to foreign interference and noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate the AfD. The AfD, classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist group by Saxony-Anhalt's state office for the protection of the constitution, has cultivated closer ties to Washington since Trump took office in January 2025. Prominent Trump allies including Elon Musk and former US Ambassador Richard Grenell also celebrated the AfD's electoral success. The controversy highlights growing tensions between the US and German governments over Trump's support for populist European parties.
Read sourceGerman Government Rejects Trump's Praise for Far-Right AfD After State Election Win
The German government has sharply rebuked US President Donald Trump after he congratulated the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on its election victory in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, praised the AfD as a movement 'on the rise' and claimed its supporters are fed up with 'absolutely terrible immigration rules.' In response, Metin Hakverdi, the German government's transatlantic coordinator, stated, 'We do not need advice from the White House,' emphasizing that Germans decide their own migration policies and elections. The AfD is classified by German authorities as a confirmed right-wing extremist group. The article also notes that Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate the AfD, and that prominent Trump allies, including Elon Musk and former US Ambassador Richard Grenell, celebrated the result. SPD politician Dirk Wiese condemned the foreign interference, comparing it to a hypothetical US reaction if Germany praised a candidate in an American state election. The incident highlights growing tensions between the US and German governments over Trump's support for a party that seeks to undermine European unity.
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SPD outraged after Trump praises far-right AfD election win in Saxony-Anhalt
US President Donald Trump has sparked outrage in Germany by congratulating the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on its election victory in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump called it a 'really great evening' and claimed the AfD and its supporters are fed up with 'absolutely terrible immigration rules.' He also coined the acronym 'MGGA' (Make Germany Great Again), echoing his own MAGA slogan. The AfD is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist group by the state office for the protection of the constitution. SPD parliamentary group manager Dirk Wiese condemned the interference as 'unacceptable' and demanded a clear response from the federal government, noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin was also among the first to congratulate the AfD. Wiese compared Trump's actions to a hypothetical scenario where the German government welcomed a US state election result. The article also notes that Elon Musk and former US Ambassador Richard Grenell celebrated the AfD's success, and that Vice President J.D. Vance met with AfD leader Alice Weidel earlier in 2025.
Read sourceTrump Celebrates AfD Election Victory in Saxony-Anhalt, Slams German Immigration Rules
US President Donald Trump congratulated the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on its election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, calling it 'a really big night' on his Truth Social platform. Trump stated that the AfD and its supporters are fed up with 'absolutely terrible immigration rules' and declared 'THEY ARE ON THE RISE.' He ended his post with 'MGGA!!!' (Make Germany Great Again). Prominent MAGA figures including Elon Musk and former US Ambassador Richard Grenell also celebrated the result. The article notes that since Trump took office in January 2025, the AfD has had better connections to Washington than ever before. Vice President J.D. Vance met with AfD leader Alice Weidel in February 2025 and warned against excluding populist parties. Trump has focused on mass deportations and a hard line on immigration in his second term, and has repeatedly criticized Germany's asylum and migration policies.
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