Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, has publicly warned the administration of former US President Donald Trump against interfering in German elections following the announcement of a new US State Department scheme to fund Maga-aligned causes across Europe.

The initiative offers grants of up to $3 million (£2.2 million) to European charities, think tanks, and individuals aiming to address issues such as national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and lawfare in alignment with shared political philosophy and Western civilizational heritage.

Merz expressed concern amid growing fears that the US is attempting to directly influence European politics, particularly ahead of German state elections scheduled for September 2026. He stated at a press conference, “For our part, we do not interfere in American elections. Conversely, I do not want the American government or institutions close to the government to interfere in German elections.”

Former US officials have indicated that this grant scheme is part of a months-long effort by the State Department to repurpose government funds to support far-right groups and potentially political parties in Europe. One former State Department official described the language around eligibility for the funding as ambiguous and suggested, “There seems to be an effort by the State Department to put the thumb on the scale of elections in Europe, giving an unfair advantage to rightwing parties with resources that they would ordinarily not get.”

Earlier in 2026, Rogers pledged $500,000 in US funding to promote digital freedom during a visit to Ireland. The funding program, originally established under President Jimmy Carter during the Cold War to challenge Soviet and rightwing authoritarian regimes, has reportedly been repurposed under the Trump administration.

Sources