The recent U.S. sanctions targeting the German organization HateAid and former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton may represent only a preliminary salvo in a potential escalation of transatlantic tensions, according to sources within former U.S. administrations. Reports suggest that Washington has been contemplating punitive measures against German officials for months, a direct consequence of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution’s (Verfassungsschutz) designation of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) as “reliably right-wing extremist” in May.
Internal discussions within the Trump administration, as revealed to “Der Spiegel” by several former government employees, considered travel bans and even financial sanctions against individuals deemed responsible for the AfD’s categorization. While specific targets remain unconfirmed, the controversy has been temporarily suspended pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the AfD against the Verfassungsschutz’s assessment.
The scope of potential U.S. intervention appears to extend beyond Germany. Similar deliberations reportedly took place regarding France, with discussions centered on sanctioning judges who convicted Marine Le Pen and her Rassemblement National party earlier this year for embezzlement of EU funds, a ruling which initially prevented her from participating in the next French presidential election.
When pressed for comment, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department declined to confirm or deny the existence or ongoing nature of these plans, stating: “We do not discuss internal deliberations and do not provide advance notice of potential accountability measures”. The spokesperson pointed to a recent post by Senator Marco Rubio on the platform X, in which he vehemently criticized the Verfassungsschutz’s monitoring of the AfD, labeling it “not democracy – it’s disguised tyranny.
The potential imposition of sanctions against German security officials has drawn significant criticism from within the U.S. political landscape. Former diplomat Tom Malinowski, currently a Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives, characterized the idea as “insane” suggesting that such actions would be unthinkable under a “normal American government”. He further argued that the recent sanctions against HateAid and other European non-governmental organizations demonstrate “this government is capable of anything.
The unfolding situation raises serious questions about the increasing intrusion of U.S. foreign policy into the internal affairs of European nations and the potential chilling effect on independent judicial and security agencies across the continent. It also highlights a widening gulf in perceptions of democracy and the rule of law between Washington and its traditional European allies, potentially driven by shifting political agendas and a willingness to leverage economic and political leverage for strategic gains. The precedent being set could signal a further normalization of politically motivated sanctions, complicating transatlantic relations and undermining fundamental democratic principles.
