Change of power in the USA: German ambassador: Unusually clear warning about Trump

This is also likely to cause a stir in the new Trump administration: The German ambassador to the USA, Andreas Michaelis, warns unusually clearly for a diplomat about massive negative changes in US policy by the new President Donald Trump. Among other things, he mentions the issues of freedom of expression and justice.

The Trump 2.0 agenda “of maximum disruption, the breaking up of established political order and bureaucratic structures as well as his plans for revenge ultimately mean a redefinition of the constitutional order,” writes Michaelis in a so-called wire report to the Foreign Ministry of Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) available to the German Press Agency ).

This means “maximum concentration of power with the president at the expense of Congress and the states,” adds Michaelis, referring to Trump’s inauguration on Monday. “Basic democratic principles as well as checks and balances are largely undermined, legislatures, law enforcement and the media are robbed of their independence and misused as a political arm, Big Tech is given co-government power.”

Michaelis’ critical report was also sent to the Chancellery

The “Diplomatic Correspondence” signed by Michaelis has the subject: “The US constitutional state under Trump 2.0. Trump’s scope to redefine the constitutional order.” On Tuesday it was sent, among others, to the Foreign Office in Berlin as well as to the Federal Chancellery as well as the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice. The five-page letter is marked with the lowest of four levels of secrecy for authorities: “VS – For official use only”. The abbreviation VS stands for the word classified information. Michaelis was spokesman for the Foreign Office during the term of office of Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer (Greens) from 1999 to 2002.

AA: Will work closely with the new administration

The Foreign Office said that it generally does not comment on internal papers, analyzes or embassy reports. But it is clear that the USA is one of the most important allies. “The Americans chose President Trump in a democratic election. Of course, we will also work closely with the new US administration in the interests of Germany and Europe.” In the USA, the federal government maintains a close network of relationships across party lines across society, in the states and in the US Congress.

Michaelmas: Attack much more orchestrated and legally watertight

“This time the attack is much more orchestrated and legally watertight with the Project 2025 playbook,” writes Michaels, compared to Trump’s first term in office from 2017 to 2021. The resolutions expected on day one have been prepared by lawyers for a long time. Trump’s leadership team is “prepared to exploit legal gray areas and loopholes” and to rely on the additional power and immunity granted to the president by the Supreme Court of the United States. The Republican majority in both chambers of Congress “seems open to tolerating a lot of things and regulating new interventions.”

Democrats, civil society and the media, among others, are preparing “intensively against T.’s attacks on federal, democratic and constitutional celebrations,” the letter continues. However, given professional legal planning, it will be much more difficult to put a quick end to Trump’s measures in court. “In addition, threats, feared sanctions and action against critics are already causing resistance to dwindle,” analyzes Michaelis.

Important role for the US Supreme Court

The judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, will play a central role, as it is expected that many more political and jurisdictional disputes will be fought there than before, writes the ambassador. Even though the Court recently expanded presidential power, even the biggest critics assumed that it would prevent the worst from happening.

“However, there remains the danger of precedents that are difficult to reverse, an erosion of constitutional principles and a lasting weakening of institutions, from which the judiciary will not be spared,” warns Michaelis. Trump will continue to “only accept law and justice when it serves his purposes and will use all means to achieve this.” The new US President will “continue to do everything he can to use the judiciary for his agenda and to escape its control.” The greatest fear remains that Trump “could further discredit the judiciary and, if in doubt, disregard rulings.”

Michaelis: Great scope for going it alone in foreign policy

“Alone foreign policy approaches such as withdrawing from international treaties or concrete military decisions” are again conceivable, the ambassador writes – there is a lot of scope for this.

Under the subheading “Containment of the fourth estate,” the ambassador adds that freedom of expression applies above all “to the MAGA word; T. and Musk (M.) are already taking action against critics and non-cooperating media companies. One is using lawsuits and threatening to do so Criminal prosecution and license revocation, the other has algorithms manipulated and accounts blocked.”

The abbreviation MAGA stands for Trump’s motto “Make America Great Again”. Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk, who also owns the X platform, is close to Trump, publicly supports the AfD and has insulted Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on X.