On Friday, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency designated the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) as an “extremist endeavor,” which allows the agency to conduct surveillance on the party, the second-largest in the parliament.
AfD was previously designated a “suspected” extremist group. The agency noted AfD’s “overall anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim stance” as one reason for the change in designation.
Top officials in the Trump administration oppose of the new designation. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on Friday on X: “Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That’s not democracy—it’s tyranny in disguise. What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes. Germany should reverse course.”
Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That’s not democracy—it’s tyranny in disguise.
What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 2, 2025
Vice President JD Vance concurred with Rubio and added: “The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it. The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt—not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment.”
The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it.
The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt—not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment. https://t.co/Un6suHtSNJ
— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 2, 2025
Rubio and Vance are receiving backlash on X for their support of AfD. The German Foreign Office replied to Rubio on X: “This is democracy. This decision is the result of a thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law. It is independent courts that will have the final say. We have learnt from our history that rightwing extremism needs to be stopped.”
This is democracy. This decision is the result of a thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law. It is independent courts that will have the final say. We have learnt from our history that rightwing extremism needs to be stopped.
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) May 2, 2025
Roderick Kiesewetter, member of the German Bundestag, replied to Rubio: “You should reverse your course by hollowing out AND exploiting the rules based international order for the disadvantage of Ukraine and NATO. Europe needs a Churchill to contain you.”
You should reverse your course by hollowing out AND exploiting the rules based international order for the disadvantage of Ukraine and NATO. Europe needs a Churchill to contain you.
— Roderich Kiesewetter
(@RKiesewetter) May 2, 2025
In America, Zionist Reform Rabbi Samuel Stern, co-chair of the State of Kansas Holocaust Commission, replied to Vance: “Every society sets limits on acceptable political belief. Yemen and the US have very different limits, for example. In Germany, looks like the far right isn’t okay. Just because that’s you and it’s allowed in the US doesn’t make it okay there.”
Every society sets limits on acceptable political belief. Yemen and the US have very different limits, for example. In Germany, looks like the far right isn’t okay. Just because that’s you and it’s allowed in the US doesn’t make it okay there.
— Samuel Stern (@RabbiSamStern) May 2, 2025