When Authoritarian America Sets an Example

The MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, who was cold-bloodedly murdered yesterday, was a central figure of Trumpism: an influential voice against diversity, equality, and enlightenment. Kirk denied the legitimacy of the 2020 election, organized buses for the „Stop the Steal“ rally on January 6th, demonized Critical Race Theory, LGBTQ+ rights, and the feminist movement, called for a total abortion ban – and systematically incited hatred against migrants. On his recent trip to Asia, he promoted a global conservative men's movement against the „effeminate West,“ warning of „globalists“ and „cultural decay.“.

Just hours after the attack, Fox News host Jesse Watters rambled about an alleged „war on MAGA“ and swore „retribution.“ But in reality, it is Donald Trump who is waging war – against migrants, queer people, the poor and homeless, critical Democrats and journalists, judges who do their duty, and anyone who resists his claim to leadership.

The murder is now being instrumentalized by Trump and his circle. While the US suffers from record inflation, an exploding budget deficit, and massive social tensions, and while the president is in the spotlight for sexual abuse, the Kirk murder helps him distract from his catastrophic record. His approval ratings are dropping, but the willingness to escalate is rising. The rhetoric is intensifying – a wave of purges is within reach, despite the unclear background of the Kirk murder.

Europe is not unaffected by these developments either. For a long time, despite all the important and justified criticism of neoliberal and neocolonial elites, the transatlantic space served as a reference point for democratic standards. However, with the progressive decay of American democracy, Europe finds itself increasingly alone – caught between an unpredictable, authoritarian-led America and a war-mongering Russia, which has long been exerting influence not only militarily.

In this double bind, the responsibility of EU citizens is growing. It is not enough to hope for stability. Democracy must be actively defended. Because while the US abandons its principles of the rule of law, forces ideologically close to the Trumps of this world are also gaining strength in Europe: the AfD in Germany, the Rassemblement National in France, Fidesz in Hungary, the PiS in Poland, the FPÖ in Austria. They all adopt the same narratives: of „cultural replacement,“ of a „effeminate West,“ of the „sickness of democracy.“ They incite hatred against refugees, against queer people, against independent media and intellectuals – and they do it with increasing professionalism, using digital networks, NGO imitations, and state-affiliated media channels – and conservatives are increasingly following them down this catastrophic misguided path.

What has become de facto normal in the USA – intimidation, lies, the erosion of the rule of law – must not take root in Europe. Especially in Germany, which has a special obligation to protect democratic structures due to its history, now is the time to create clarity: Politics that question the equality of people is not an „alternative opinion“ but a direct threat to open society. Those who incite hatred against asylum seekers, attack judges, demonize queer life, or delegitimize press freedom are not on the fringes of democracy, but already outside of it. A ban on the AfD is unavoidable – if it's not already too late.

A dual consolidation is needed now: an domestic one, which brings together left-wing, liberal, and conservative democrats again to jointly build a democratic firewall against authoritarian forces. And an foreign policy one, which no longer sees the EU as an appendage of the transatlantic order, but as an independent actor with a clear social, democratic, and human rights agenda.

Because if authoritarian America sets a precedent, Europe will tip over too.