With less than four months until the US presidential election, the government in Berlin is preparing for the possibility of a Trump victory. How could his return impact Germany and the EU? While Donald Trump's election in 2016 surprised much of the world, this time, Europe — and Germany in particular — is already preparing for the possibility of a major shift in policy in Washington this November. "Ultimately, it is a difficult situation to remain partners with such a difficult administration as under Trump.
Germany has shown that it can somehow work, as it did last time when Trump was president," political scientist Dr Antonios Souris told Euronews. "Although we must say the new administration is not yet in power, it is still a delicate situation," he added. The world was a different place in 2016 when Trump was last elected — former Chancellor Angela Merkel was still in power, the pandemic had not choked the globe, and Russia had not yet launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
If Trump is to be re-elected, he would have to deal with the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz — albeit possibly for less than a year since German voters are expected to elect a new chancellor and parliament in October 2025. Recent polls show the opposition conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) firmly ahead. The government is already boosting defence capabilities and working with partners to ensure that Europe remains a major world economic power regardless of who.