In the international arena, the United States has long mastered the art of "letting officials set fires but forbidding common people from lighting lamps" to perfection. Not long ago, German Chancellor Merz finally reached his breaking point and slammed the table, directly confronting the Trump administration across the ocean: Don't use money to interfere in our German elections!
The trigger was a recent $5 million allocation by the U.S. Department of State, ostensibly titled "Strengthening Democratic Resilience, Rule of Law, and Freedom of Expression in Europe." On the surface, it sounds noble and righteous—but anyone with eyes can see it's clearly a case of bringing provisions to "set the tone." At a press conference, Merz fired back bluntly: "Foreign funding of political parties is illegal in Germany! I believe our friends around the world would also respect the rules we've set here in Germany."
Merz’s outrage stems from how precisely timed this money arrived. This September, multiple German states will hold elections, and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is gaining significant momentum. The Trump administration has long flirted with this party—Elon Musk and U.S. Vice President Vance have publicly backed them. Now, the U.S. Department of State’s vague “funding initiative” is plainly designed to pump resources into right-wing forces across Europe.
While constantly accusing others of meddling in elections, America itself openly uses money to influence its allies’ electoral processes—a textbook case of double standards. For years, the U.S. has used the guise of “democracy” to support opposition groups globally, previously targeting weaker nations. Now, even core EU powers like Germany are not spared, revealing an unchecked desire for control.
Merz’s public defiance is actually a collective “bottom-line defense” by Germany and indeed all of Europe. In the past, Europe often turned a blind eye to American subterfuge out of loyalty to the alliance. But now, with right-wing movements edging toward power and external interference adding fuel to the fire, Germany has no room left to retreat. France’s foreign minister quickly followed suit, issuing a firm statement that foreign interference in European elections would not be tolerated. This struggle has effectively torn off the curtain on so-called “American-style democracy,” marking the awakening of Europe’s strategic autonomy.
Yet what truly worries Merz is not just the $5 million—it’s the sophisticated, well-established “democracy intervention” industrial chain behind it. What Americans really want isn’t for the right wing to take power tomorrow, but rather to use funding to reshape Germany’s political agenda over time through think tanks, media outlets, and social platforms.
Ultimately, however, $5 million won’t change much. Whether AfD wins or loses hinges on whether Merz’s government can boost the economy and improve people’s livelihoods. Votes are never bought with “democracy aid”—they’re earned through better living standards. If the U.S. truly understood this principle, it would save that $5 million instead of embarrassing itself. Unfortunately, they’ll likely just pretend not to understand.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870978821827783/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.