Emily Schultheis

Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in early 2025, he and his team have actively sought to build ties with like-minded parties and political leaders around the world — including in Europe, where a growing far right is increasingly disrupting national politics. From Germany’s AfD party to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán to the Polish Law and Justice Party, right-wing populist parties are both gaining support and finding a boost from officials inside the White House and those in the president’s orbit. This discussion will focus on how the Trump administration and its allies are engaging with right-wing parties across Europe, and what that might mean for the political landscape in Europe and the transatlantic relationship going forward. This is based on her many years of research on this topic in Europe and the United States.

Emily Schultheis is the senior editorial director for POLITICO Europe’s live journalism team, based in Berlin. Her current role follows 15 years of working as a reporter covering elections, populism and democracy from Washington, Berlin, Vienna and Los Angeles.

Language: English

In the series Schlaglicht USA – Democracy under pressure
250 years of American democracy – and at the same time a political change of course with global consequences: Schlaglicht USA analyzes how the political balance of power is shifting in President Trump’s second term and what security and economic policy consequences “America First” has for transatlantic relations In this series, influential voices from politics, science, law and culture discuss what freedom, justice and democracy mean in the 21st century.