Leaked memo reveals alarming German warnings over Trump

Trump’s second term will bring a “maximum concentration of power with the president,” Germany’s ambassador to the U.S. warns in confidential document obtained by Reuters.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has Germany’s diplomatic corps bracing for what it sees as a deliberate dismantling of United States democratic norms.

A confidential memorandum written by Andreas Michaelis, Germany's ambassador to the U.S., warns of an agenda of “maximum disruption” that could redefine the American constitutional order.

The document, obtained by Reuters and addressed to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, outlines stark concerns about the erosion of democratic norms under Trump’s second administration.

Michaelis describes Trump’s vision as one focused on the “maximum concentration of power with the president at the expense of Congress and the [U.S.] states.” According to the document, key democratic institutions, including the legislature, law enforcement and the media, risk an erosion of their independence and could be “misused as a political arm.” 

The memo also highlights the involvement of Big Tech companies, which Michaelis claims could be granted “co-governing power.”

Publicly, Germany’s foreign ministry has taken a cautious tone, acknowledging the democratic choice of U.S. voters and expressing a willingness to work with the Trump government. The ministry hasn't responded to a request from POLITICO for comment on the leaked memorandum.

“We will work closely with the new U.S. administration in the interests of Germany and Europe,” the ministry said in a statement to Reuters.

The ambassador’s internal assessment is far more critical. A lingering unease within Berlin about the broader implications of Trump’s domestic policies could signal a turbulent beginning for U.S.-German relations under the interim government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats and Baerbock’s Green Party.

This unease is not new — Trump’s first term saw contentious disputes over trade tariffs and Germany’s failure to meet NATO targets for defense spending. The warning from Michaelis suggests the stakes are now even higher.