After visits to the White House by Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky this week, AGI President @jeffrathke.bsky.social joined @ronzheimer.bsky.social to discuss President Trump's foreign policy approach in the Middle East and Ukraine:

Trumps Plan für den Iran, Ukraine & Putin. Mit Jeff Rathke

Donald Trump trifft Benjamin Netanjahu und Wolodymyr Selenskyj in Washington – doch welche Strategie verfolgt der US-Präsident im Nahen Osten und im Ukraine-Krieg wirklich? Paul Ronzheimer spricht…

ronzheimer.podigee.io

The German government is working on a plan on what to do if regions vote in extreme-right AFD governments which may not allow NATO troop movements or may otherwise want to impede defence policies and Russia deterrence. www.n-tv.de/politik/Sorg...

Sorge vor AfD-Wahlerfolgen - Bund arbeitet an Nato-Notfallplan

Im September werden in Sachsen-Anhalt und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern neue Landtage gewählt. In Umfragen liegt die AfD klar vorn. Die Sorge vor einem Wahlerfolg führt in Berlin laut einem Bericht zu konkre...

n-tv.de

Wow: "...no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership."

Christian Odendahl@codendahl.bsky.social · 6d ago

“The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.” www.uefa.com/news-media/n...

In an unprecedented step, European nations said they would boycott the World Cup unless FIFA reverses a controversial deal to sell minority stakes to the marquee soccer tournament. n.pr/4h1Niz1

European soccer leaders to boycott the World Cup in an unprecedented step

In an unprecedented step, European nations said they would boycott the World Cup unless FIFA reverses a controversial deal to sell minority stakes to the marquee soccer tournament.

n.pr

How can the US and its partners rebalance asymmetries as China has pursues policies of one-way dependencies? In a new podcast episode, @chadpbown.com discusses his book, How to Win a Trade War, and paths forward for the transatlantic economic partners:

Episode 152: How to Win a Trade War

The global economic landscape is contested between China and the United States, with America’s partners such as Europe also playing important roles. China has pursued policies of one-way…

americangerman.institute

Trump had meetings with both Zelenskyy and Netanyahu at the White House today and neither was opened to TV cameras. A little odd for a guy who normally loves publicity.

Deutschland will seine Fähigkeiten für weitreichende Präzisionsschläge deutlich ausbauen. Der heutige Bestand gilt als qualitativ stark, aber klein und einseitig (nur ~600 Taurus ALCM). Entscheidend sind ein ausgewogener Mix aus Lenkflugkörpern und ein klares Einsatzkonzept. esut.de/2026/07/fach...

Deep Precision Strike Waffen

Deutschland investiert in den kommenden Jahren erheblich in Waffensysteme für weitreichende Präzisionsschläge, sogenannte Deep Precision Strike-Systeme. Neben einem quantitativen Aufwuchs ist auch ein...

esut.de

German officials are working behind the scenes to identify Chinese economic vulnerabilities that they could exploit if the EU finds itself in a trade war with Beijing Berlin is informally mapping China’s weaknesses by analysing trade flows, supply chains and company-level data

Sollte Deutschland eine einheitliche Strompreiszone haben? Bayern/BaWü finden ja - der Norden eher nein. Die EU auch eher nein...... Artikel im @handelsblatt

Chancellor Merz's cabinet reshuffle was sparked by resignation of Caucus Leader Jens Spahn, but the Chancellor's handling of additional changes is sparking real unhappiness inside his own party 👇

Johannes Bebermeier@jbebermeier.bsky.social · last wk.

„Sie leiten hier eine Partei und keine Firma“, sagt der Bremer CDU-Chef in der Vorstandssitzung zu Merz. Unser Text über wilde Tage in der CDU, die Merz gefährlich werden. www.t-online.de/nachrichten/...

Good conversation with Paul Ronzheimer on Germany and China shock 2.0. Germany escaped the original China shock. This one goes straight to the heart of its manufacturing core. No surprise it's attracting international attention. Good to see Germany finally having this debate.

Sander Tordoir@sandertordoir.bsky.social · 2w ago

China flutet die Weltmärkte mit Autos, Maschinen, Chemieprodukten. Deutschland verliert monatlich 10.000 Industriearbeitsplätze. Deutschland im Epizentrum von China-Schock 2.0. Was kann die Bundesregierung tun? Darüber spreche ich mit @ronzheimer.bsky.social ronzheimer.podigee.io/779-die-gros...

‼️Polens größte Oppositionspartei zerlegt sich, der Machtkampf zwischen Parteichef Kaczynski u Ex-Premier Morawiecki eskaliert. Ein angeschlagen wirkender Kaczynski verkündet die Spaltung. Etwa 30 Abgeordnete sind raus, die neue Gruppe um Morawiecki wird drittstärkste Fraktion

Breaking: China has added 14 EU entities to its export control list a day after the EU added 14 Chinese / HK companies to its 21st package of sanctions

This is Jan Marsalek level weird

Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social · 2w ago

Reform UK donor and Farage ally George Cottrell carried a fake Swiss passport under the name ‘Oscar Drewitt’. Cottrell was hired under the name by the future Reform treasurer Mehrtash A’zami. A’zami later vetted Cottrell’s mother's donations to Reform, now the subject of a police investigation

The EU fined Google €890 million today and ordered the U.S. internet giant to overhaul how it ranks rivals in search results and how it polices its app store, as it concluded two investigations into whether the company had breached the Big Tech law.

EU fines Google €890M for breaching Big Tech rulebook

Brussels orders U.S. search giant to overhaul how it ranks rivals in search results and how it polices its app store — or face further penalties.

politico.eu

"Merz has chosen his chief of staff, Thorsten Frei, to succeed Spahn as head of the conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group, according to sources within the alliance on Wednesday." @dpa.com www.yahoo.com/news/politic...

German conservatives pick new parliamentary leader after surrogacy row

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has moved swiftly to fill the vacancy left by Jens Spahn's resignation over a surrogacy controversy that rocked Germany's conservative bloc. Merz has chosen his chief ...

yahoo.com

AN ACADEMIC JOB! We are hiring for the Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professorship at the Johns Hopkins SAIS campus in Bologna. We are especially interested in those working on international affairs and technology but open to other topics as well. The main downside is having me across the hall.

German voters, especially in the east, are experiencing economic anxiety and political frustration. But after a week in Saxony, Tim Eydelnant also witnessed a region working to build community and sustain civic life:

Looking for Germany’s Future in the Former East

A Week in Saxony On a warm Friday evening in late June, nearly 140 people gathered inside the former synagogue in Görlitz, Germany’s easternmost city. They had come from the …

americangerman.institute

as ist ein sehr interessantes Interview meiner Kolleg:innen Kaja Klapsa & @heinrichwefing.bsky.social mit Frau Brosius-Gersdorf über Leihmutterschaft, die diese befürwortet. Ich finde, sie lässt aus, wie sehr Notlagen ausgenutzt werden (1/3). www.zeit.de/politik/deut...

Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf: »Wer Frauen als ›Brutkästen‹ bezeichnet, will nicht diskutieren«

Die Verfassungsrechtlerin Brosius-Gersdorf hat Verständnis für die Inanspruchnahme einer Leihmutter durch Jens Spahn. Trotzdem hält sie seinen Rücktritt für konsequent.

zeit.de

Even far-right parties in Europe view Trump as toxic. That Jacob Rees-Mogg is being discussed as a target for US funds underscores how irrelevant this State Department initiative is likely to be. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Trump to fund Maga-aligned projects in Europe as he reorders US aid

Objectives include countering ‘censorship’ from EU regulations and supporting ‘national sovereignty’

giftarticle.ft.com

Chancellor Merz's Bundestag caucus leader Jens Spahn stepped down today under pressure from Merz and party members. Spahn + husband used surrogate mother in U.S. to become parents. Surrogacy is illegal in Germany & CDU/CSU have long opposed it. Perception of double-standard sparked major backlash.

Johannes Bebermeier@jbebermeier.bsky.social · 3w ago

Merz zum Spahn-Rücktritt

The US is adopting a strategy of attacking water storage and desalination plants designed to render the region uninhabitable. If continued, this strategy will make the Gulf littoral uninhabitable in the coming decades. Yet there is no discussion of these tactics and their repercussion in the US.

Die #Ukraine erhält von #Frankreich Lizenzen zur Produktion von #Aster30 (AA-LFK) und #SCALP (ALCM). Zudem sollen 16 Rafale-Kampfjets mit Bewaffnung sowie SAMP/T NG Flugabwehrbatterie geliefert werden. Erste #Rafale könnten ab 2028 o. 2029 in der 🇺🇦 eingesetzt werden. www.hartpunkt.de/ukraine-darf...

Ukraine darf Scalp sowie Aster 30 bauen und erhält Rafale-Jets sowie das Luftverteidigungssystem SAMP/T NG

Die Ukraine hat von Frankreich Lizenzen für die Produktion der Boden-Luft-Rakete Aster 30 sowie des Marschflugkörpers Scalp erhalten, wie der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj gestern bei eine...

hartpunkt.de

Das wäre das Ende jeder verlässlichen und unabhängigen Korrespondententätigkeit in den USA. www.zdfheute.de/politik/ausl...

USA verschärfen Visa-Regeln für Journalisten und Studierende

Die US-Regierung schränkt die Aufenthaltsdauer für ausländische Journalisten und Studierende ein. Die Regeln sollen ab Mitte September gelten.

zdfheute.de

I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible, sagt Peter Thiel. Demokratische Kontrollmechanismen betrachtet er als Einschränkung wirtschaftlicher Freiheit. Dafür erhält er die Döpfner-Variante von Infantinos FIFA-Friedenspreis.

Thanks to German Green Party co-Chair @felixbanaszak.bsky.social for the great discussions yesterday in Washington! Look for our @amgerinst.bsky.social podcast episode soon! @gruene.de

American-German Institute@amgerinst.bsky.social · 3w ago

AGI was pleased to host @felixbanaszak.bsky.social for a dinner and discussion on the future of transatlantic cooperation, Germany's evolving leadership role, and the shifts in political culture shaping dynamics in Germany and the United States.

🧵1/5 #Rheinmetall will im großen Stil in 🇵🇱 #Rüstung einsteigen und hat dem VMinisterium in Warschau ein umfassendes Angebot vorgelegt. Zentrale Punkte laut polnischer Presse: 👉 Bergepanzer „Büffel“ und Pionierpanzer „Kodiak“ auf Basis Leopard-2 in #Polen produzieren

As you wait to watch today's World Cup semifinal, listen to the latest episode of The Zeitgeist podcast, examining soccer culture in the United States and Germany and its intersection with politics, society, and identity:

Episode 151: Soccer and Society

The 2026 World Cup has been bigger than ever before; an expanded tournament of forty-eight teams has brought record-breaking audiences. On this episode of The Zeitgeist, Andrei Markovits discusses…

americangerman.institute

We’re sanctioning Russia at speed and scale. Today’s measures, together with the upcoming 21st sanctions package, will add 250 individuals and entities to the Russia sanctions regime. (1/3)

All the Ways Europe Is Ditching American Technology www.wired.com/story/all-th...

All the Ways Europe Is Ditching American Technology

A WIRED timeline shows how dozens of governments, companies, and other organizations across Europe are moving, or planning to shift, away from US Big Tech.

wired.com