On January 20, 2025, Germany's Ambassador to the United States, Andreas Michaelis, sent a diplomatic telegram to Berlin, expressing concerns about the implications of Donald Trump's return to the White House.
Trump took the oath of office today, marking his return to the presidency after a four-year hiatus. In the five-page document reviewed by the German news agency dpa, Ambassador Michaelis warned that Trump’s plans for revenge could undermine the political order and bureaucratic structures in the U.S.
The telegram was addressed to Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the foreign and interior ministries. Michaelis cautioned that Trump would erode fundamental democratic principles, diminishing the independence of the legislative, law enforcement, and media sectors under the guise of a 'co-governing authority' with technology giants, implicitly referencing Elon Musk.
The German Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the telegram, stating that 'Americans voted for President Trump in a democratic election. We will work closely with the new administration in line with Germany and Europe's interests.'
Public sentiment in Germany reflects skepticism about the future of U.S.-Germany relations, with two-thirds of the population believing that relations will deteriorate during Trump’s term. A YouGov survey conducted from January 10-14, 2025, involving 2,078 participants, revealed that 67% of respondents expect a decline in relations, while 68% anticipate negative impacts on the German economy.
Trump had previously pledged to impose high tariffs on imported goods from Germany and other European countries. The U.S. is Germany’s most significant trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling €255 billion last year, making the U.S. Germany's largest trading partner for the first time since 2016, surpassing China.
Additionally, 65% of YouGov survey participants expressed doubt that Trump could resolve the Ukraine conflict within six months, despite his campaign promise to end it within his first 24 hours in office.