24. April 2025
Donald Trump’s repeated references to the U.S. tariff policy of 1870 to 1913 as a model for today’s government financing reveal a historically incoherent and economically naïve worldview that disregards both radically changed fiscal realities and the social costs of that earlier system. His claim that tariffs could replace the income tax fails at the most basic empirical level: Between 1870 and 1913, tariffs accounted for an average of 38–50% of federal revenue, at a time when government...
18. April 2025
Donald Trump’s recent actions against Venezuelan migrants represent nothing less than an authoritarian breach in American politics. By designating the Venezuelan gang “Tren de Aragua” as a terrorist organization and invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—a relic from an era of existential threat—Trump is weaponizing the legal system to stigmatize and exclude political opponents and minorities. The real scandal, however, lies in how openly and systematically the Trump administration...
06. April 2025
Since Donald Trump’s second term began in January 2025, his administration has embarked on a radical restructuring of American governance, revealing a disturbing alignment with Curtis Yarvin’s neo-reactionary philosophy. Yarvin, a political theorist and key figure in the "Dark Enlightenment" movement, has long advocated for dismantling democracy in favor of centralized, authoritarian rule. His ideas, once confined to niche intellectual circles, are now being operationalized at the highest...
05. April 2025
The GOP’s FY2025 budget proposal is more than just a fiscal plan—it’s a bold statement of priorities, ideology, and strategy that reflects decades of Republican economic thinking. At its heart, the proposal doubles down on tax cuts as the engine of economic growth, deep spending reductions to rein in deficits, and a focus on defense and border security. But while it’s ambitious in scope, it raises serious questions about sustainability, equity, and the political risks of such sweeping...
28. März 2025
Dear readers, I wanted to let you know that I'll be writing fewer blog entries in the near future as I've embarked on an exciting new project. I'm thrilled to announce that I've started a weekly podcast with Handelsblatt and Nicole Bastian called "Trump Watch." This new podcast, which launched in 2025, focuses on analyzing the second term of Donald Trump's presidency1. Each Wednesday afternoon, Nicole Bastian (co-head of Handelsblatt's podcast, video, and live journalism department) and I dive...
17. März 2025
Elon Musk’s role as de facto shadow president in Donald Trump’s administration exemplifies the dangerous erosion of democratic norms through the unchecked fusion of corporate power and federal authority. Appointed as a "special government employee" to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has exploited ambiguities in his mandate to orchestrate a chaotic, self-serving overhaul of federal operations—all while evading accountability and enriching his empire. The...
04. März 2025
As President Donald Trump prepares to address Congress tonight at 9 PM ET, the nation braces for what will undoubtedly be a disturbing display of autocratic ambition and democratic erosion. In just six weeks since regaining office, Trump has unleashed a relentless assault on American institutions, values, and global standing that will likely be both celebrated and amplified in his speech. Trump's address comes at a critical juncture, with his administration's actions already sending shockwaves...
04. März 2025
The Trump administration's recent actions to end military aid to Ukraine and impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico represent a seismic shift in U.S. foreign policy, one that threatens to unravel decades of carefully constructed international relationships and norms. This isolationist turn, cloaked in the rhetoric of "America First," is not merely a recalibration of priorities but a wholesale rejection of the liberal international order that has underpinned global stability since World War II. By...
03. März 2025
President Donald Trump’s second-term educational policies have introduced sweeping changes to academia in the United States, with ripple effects that extend into the transatlantic academic community. These policies, which prioritize decentralization, ideological reform, and budgetary constraints, pose significant challenges for American universities and research institutions while simultaneously creating opportunities and tensions for European academia. A closer examination reveals how these...
26. Februar 2025
Die jüngsten Haushaltsvorschläge der Trump-Administration, insbesondere jene, die vom neu gegründeten Ministerium für Regierungseffizienz (DOGE) unter Elon Musk vorangetrieben werden, haben eine kontroverse Debatte über ihre Auswirkungen auf die Bundesdefizite, das Wohlergehen der US-Bürger und die Integrität der Sozial- und Gesundheitspolitik entfacht. Nachdem das Repräsentantenhaus mit knapper Mehrheit eine Haushaltsresolution verabschiedet hat, die erhebliche Steuersenkungen und...