US Secretary of State Rubio Downplays AfD Contacts

US Secretary of State Rubio Downplays AfD Contacts - US Secretary of State Rubio Downplays AfD Contacts

The US government has faced scrutiny over its growing ties with Europe’s far-right parties. Recent meetings with Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) have drawn attention, particularly after a high-ranking official posed for photos with one of its leaders. Meanwhile, a newly released strategy document signals a broader shift in American engagement with populist movements across the continent.

Criticism has also come from within the US, with officials accusing European governments of suppressing political opposition. The exchanges highlight a deliberate effort to build relationships with figures often shunned by mainstream politics.

In early December, the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy formalised plans to expand contacts with right-wing populist groups in Europe. The policy shift followed months of quiet engagement, including meetings with controversial figures.

One such encounter took place in Washington in December 2022, when US Representative Anna Paulina Luna posed for a photo with Markus Frohnmaier, the AfD’s foreign policy spokesman in Germany’s Bundestag. Earlier that same month, Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also met with Frohnmaier. Rubio later downplayed the significance of these contacts, stating they were routine efforts to understand the political landscape in other countries. He emphasised that such meetings did not equate to electoral endorsements but provided useful insights should these figures gain power. However, his remarks came after he had previously accused Germany of ‘veiled tyranny’ in May, following the AfD’s provisional classification as a ‘confirmed far-right extremist’ organisation by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The newly published National Security Strategy document goes further, framing US support for ‘resistance’ against Europe’s political direction as a formal priority. It criticises what it calls ‘censorship of free expression’ and the ‘suppression of political opposition’ on the continent, pledging American backing for groups challenging the status quo. The Trump administration has long cultivated ties with Europe’s far-right, including the AfD. While officials insist these interactions are purely informational, critics argue they lend legitimacy to movements often accused of extremism.

The US now has a clear policy of engaging with Europe’s populist right, as outlined in its latest security strategy. Meetings with AfD representatives, along with public statements criticising European governments, signal an intentional shift. How these relationships develop could shape transatlantic politics in the years ahead.