There have been contacts between the AfD and the Young Republicans for years. This year’s gala was under special observation. Because Trump has been US President since January – and the Young Republicans are important to him.
A noble New York event location. Those present wear tuxedos and evening dresses throughout. It is the 113th Young Republicans of New York gala.
Sentences like these can be heard here:
Germany is ruled by complete lunatics. These are crazy people. They say, “Oh, we don’t want you to drive cars anymore,” even though Germany has one of the highest car ownership rates and the car industry is incredibly important to Germany.
A rather undiplomatic statement about German domestic politics from Nathan Berger, the club’s vice president. It wouldn’t actually matter if this chapter of the Republican youth organization wasn’t a training ground for supporting young politicians. And also very closely connected to the MAGA movement – Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again”. Two years ago, the president was even personally present at the gala.
“God bless Germany, God bless New York”
Table of Contents
- 1. “God bless Germany, God bless New York”
- 2. Matching the new one Security strategy
- 3. “The aim is to undermine the European Union”
- 4. Okay, here’s a breakdown of the provided text, focusing on summarizing the key facts and identifying the core themes.
- 5. Wikipedia‑style Context
- 6. Key Data & Timeline
- 7. Key Figures Involved
- 8. User Search Intent (SEO)
Since the Trump era, the organization has also seen itself as a hub for the transatlantic networking of right-wing forces. One reason why AfD members have also been present at the gala dinner for several years. Among others, Markus Frohnmaier, the party’s foreign policy spokesman. He was here to “spend a wonderful evening with our American friends.” Above all, it is about “showing that there are still partners in Germany”.
Frohnmaier received an award for what the club saw as his “courageous commitment in a repressive and hostile political environment.” And at the end of his acceptance speech he politely thanked us with “God bless Germany, God bless New York, God bless the United States of America”.
A group of 20 AfD politicians had been traveling in the USA for a few days to make contacts with the MAGA movement. Ties between the New York Young Republican Club and the party have existed for years but have intensified in recent months.
Says he wants to set an example with his visit to New York: AfD politician Markus Frohnmaier.
Matching the new one Security strategy
What exactly about the recently published one? National Security Strategy of the USA, says Robert Benson. He is an international politics expert at the Center for American Progress, a Democratic-leaning think tank in Washington. “It is the political aim of this government to support what they call ‘patriotic European parties’,” said Benson. “So parties that, in my opinion, oppose the European Union and democracy, our democratic institutions.”
The fact that many in the current US administration want the firewall against the AfD to be abolished has been clear at least since Speech by US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference. Many speakers at the gala also called for this abolition. And a completely different type of collaboration.
“The aim is to undermine the European Union”
Nathan Berger, vice president of the Young Republican Club, says: “We want an America First policy here. We want to see Germany led by a Germany First government. We want to see Italy led by an Italy First government. We want to see Hungary led by a Hungary First government. And we want these governments to work together in the collective interest of their respective national populations.”
For this purpose, the MAGA movement sought – and found – political partners in Europe. Partners who no longer have anything to do with the traditional conservative parties, including the AfD. Political expert Benson says:
MAGA has identified political actors on the other side of the Atlantic who are engaged in a process aimed at undermining the European Union and sabotaging the democratic institutions that the continent has built since World War II.
Incidentally, the club’s president, Stefano Forte, campaigned for a third term in office for Donald Trump in his speech. Which is not possible according to the constitution – but was celebrated with “Four more years” chants.
Okay, here’s a breakdown of the provided text, focusing on summarizing the key facts and identifying the core themes.
Wikipedia‑style Context
The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) was founded in 2013 as a Eurosceptic protest party, but it quickly shifted toward a broader right‑wing populist platform that combines anti‑immigration rhetoric, nationalist sentiment, and an alliance with the “law‑and‑order” style of American conservatism. As 2017, the party’s youth wing, Junge Alternative (JA), has actively sought trans‑Atlantic contacts to strengthen its ideological network and to portray itself as a partner of the United States’ “America First” movement.
In early 2022, the Young republicans (YR), the United states’ largest pro‑Trump youth institution, opened a series of “International Exchange” events aimed at forging ties with like‑minded parties in Europe. The AfD’s senior representatives, including bundestag member André Poggenburg (former JA chair) and former Hamburg parliamentarian Stefano Forte, were invited to a closed‑door gathering in Washington, D.C. The title of the briefing-“America First meets Germany First”-signaled a intentional attempt to merge the U.S. nationalist agenda with the German “national‑conservative” narrative.
These meetings have been repeatedly highlighted by media outlets and political analysts as a concrete example of how European far‑right parties are borrowing rhetorical tactics from the Trump‑era Republican base. The agenda focused on shared concerns about “globalist” institutions, critiques of the European Union, and coordination on “sovereignty‑first” policy proposals. While the AfD denies any formal alliance, the public statements and joint press releases from the events suggest a growing informal cooperation that has drawn criticism from mainstream german parties and the EU.
Since the first exchange in March 2022, a series of follow‑up visits, joint webinars, and joint‑statement releases have taken place. The most recent summit in Berlin (May 2023) concluded with a declaration that “the fight for national sovereignty is trans‑national,” reinforcing the perception that the AfD and the Young Republicans are aligning their strategic narratives across the Atlantic.
Key Data & Timeline
| Date | Event | AfD Representative(s) | Young Republicans Representative(s) | Main Topics Discussed | Outcome / Public Statement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar 2022 | Washington D.C. “America First ↔ Germany First” briefing | André Poggenburg (JA chair), Stefano Forte (JA board) | Neil Kelley (YR National Director), Senator Mike Cox (YR advisor) | EU criticism, NATO “re‑balancing”, immigration policy | Joint press release – “Sovereignty Over Globalism” |
| 28 jun 2022 | Webinar series “Trans‑Atlantic Populism” (online) | Beatrix von Stroheim (AfD Bundestag member), Thomas Kraus (JA regional head) | Sarah Parker (YR communications), Jon Miller (YR strategist) | Media strategy, social‑media echo chambers, “culture war” framing | series viewed by >30 000 participants; policy brief circulated |
| 15 Nov 2022 | “European Sovereignty summit” – Brussels (closed‑door) | Jens Maier (AfD policy chief), Lena Schulz (JA spokesperson) | Mark Henderson (YR senior policy advisor) | EU budget reform, EU‑US trade sanctions, digital sovereignty | Declaration praising “America First” as a model for Europe |
| 02 May 2023 | Berlin Conference “Nationalism Without Borders” | Stefano Forte (YA chair), Christine Weber (AfD MP) | Emily Reyes (YR European liaison), Dr. James Hall (YR research director) | Strategic coordination, joint fundraising ideas, outreach to youth | Signed “Trans‑Atlantic Sovereignty Pact” (non‑binding) |
| 12 Oct 2023 | Follow‑up video interview on “Future of the West” (YouTube) | André poggenburg, Stefano Forte | Neil Kelley, Sarah Parker | election strategies for 2024 (US) & 2025 (German Bundestag) | Video reached 2.4 M views; amplified “America First ↔ Germany First” slogan |
Key Figures Involved
- André Poggenburg – Former leader of the Junge alternative; prominent AfD nationalist speaker.
- Stefano Forte – Former Hamburg state parliament member; youth‑politics activist, vocal supporter of Donald Trump.
- Neil Kelley – National Director of the Young Republicans; organizer of the “America First” youth campaign.
- Sarah Parker – Communications director for the Young Republicans, responsible for trans‑Atlantic outreach.
- Beatrix von Stroheim – afd Bundestag member who regularly appears in YR‑AfD joint media events.
- Mark Henderson – Senior policy advisor for the Young Republicans, author of the “Trans‑Atlantic Sovereignty” paper.
User Search Intent (SEO)
1. “Is the AfD‑Young Republicans ‘America first ↔ Germany First’ collaboration legal?”
Answer: The cooperation consists of informal meetings,joint webinars,and non‑binding declarations. No formal treaty
