'How Trump's networks want to bring the AfD to power'

On election night, AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla stated that “funding for associations or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) ‘that do not contribute to this country’s economic growth and that pursue indoctrinated politics here’” should be cut. In doing so, he is continuing the threats against civil society organizations—threats that the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt could turn into action for the first time if it takes power.

The AfD and the global right take a somewhat different view when it comes to money from the budgets of Viktor Orbán—in the past—or from the Trump administration. “To intervene in Europe’s political landscape, the U.S. government relies on existing networks and political front organizations, which include think tanks in particular. Funds are now being allocated specifically for this purpose.” Kathrin Anhold recently reported this in a detailed article on lobbycontrol about U.S. plans to specifically funnel funds into far-right networks in Europe. In early July, the U.S. State Department officially announced grants of up to $3 million for “European civil society and non-governmental organizations (sic!) as well as educational institutions and for-profit groups”.

According to the text of the call for proposals, the funds are intended to “address challenges in the areas of national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and lawfare in line with our shared political philosophy, legal system, and our common Western civilizational heritage.” According to a report in the Handelsblatt, Naomi Seibt, an influencer with ties to the AfD and the MAGA movement, is said to have applied for funding. The Hayek Society has also expressed interest, while the AfD-affiliated Desiderius Erasmus Foundation did not respond to an inquiry from the Handelsblatt.

The report on LobbyControl also details how much funding has already flowed into these networks in the past. The French NGO Bloom analyzed these funding flows in a report published in May 2026: “For the period from 2019 to 2024, the report estimated a total of at least 46 million U.S. dollars for activities in Europe, such as program work, funding, legal work, or attorney fees.” The report (in English) is available on Bloom’s website.