"The German fear of Trump is justified - and we as Americans should have it too"

WELT "The German fear of Trump is justified - and we as Americans should have it too" Article by Ibrahim Naber • 3 hours • 6 minutes reading time The former US ambassador to Germany, Amy Gutmann, sees the presidential election as a test of American democracy. She warns of a scenario that could also be dangerous for Germany - and reveals who she will vote for. There is still plenty of Germany in Amy Gutmann's new office. Behind the desk is a photo of her with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, next to it the photo with Angela Merkel. She recently celebrated Halloween in a Borussia Dortmund football jersey, the 74-year-old said at the meeting with WELT. After two and a half years as US ambassador in Berlin, Gutmann returned to Pennsylvania this summer. She works as a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication in Philadelphia - the largest city in the contested state of Pennsylvania, where the US presidential election could be decided. WELT: Ambassador Gutmann, have you voted yet? Amy Gutmann: Not yet. On Tuesday, my husband and I will go to our polling station and vote. For me, that is the most basic right and duty of every citizen. WELT: Who are you voting for? Gutmann: I will vote for Kamala Harris. WELT: Why? Gutmann: For the first time in American history, there is a presidential candidate who has denied the results of the previous election and is still doing so. I am a scientist and professor of democracy. I owe my life to American democracy. My father fled from Germany to India and then to the USA. He lived America's immigrant history. For me, preserving democracy is above all else. WELT: Donald Trump is already talking about election fraud in Pennsylvania. Some fear that his party is currently laying the groundwork to claim a stolen election at the end - similar to 2020. Gutmann: All signs point to the former president claiming he won if he loses. Last time there were over 60 lawsuits and all of them failed. We have a really strong rule of law. We, the people, have to support that rule of law. It is fundamental to democracy and our freedom. It worked in the last election and I think it will work again. WELT: Lawsuits are one thing. The other is the fear of violence breaking out after the election if Trump loses. Gutmann: I am a passionate advocate of freedom of speech. But freedom of speech also has limits. You cannot threaten people's lives or livelihoods. Violence is not acceptable. We not only rely on it, but also support our police and our legal system to ensure that people who do not obey the law face the consequences. WELT: 45 percent of Americans believe that American democracy is not representing the people well at the moment. What is going wrong in the USA? Gutmann: The first is the economy. We need to serve the working class better. Inequality in this country has increased enormously over decades, and the working class feels that their children and grandchildren may not be as well off as they are. The second is education. We need to improve education for all and make education easier to access. And here Germany is a really important pioneer. In Germany, not only is higher education more accessible, but there is also the dual study program. The third point is ethics. We need to revive the ethical norms of respect for the dignity of all people. Hate should have no place in a democracy. Whether it is anti-Semitism or other forms of hate, Islamophobia, racism, the terrible slanders against women and women's rights - we need to improve our democracy. WELT: Many people in Germany fear that this election could negatively affect their future, especially if Trump wins. How justified is this German fear? Gutmann: In this case, the German fear is justified and we as Americans should have it too. The Germans often said to me, without you (the Americans, ed.) we would not be able to do this. By this they meant, for example, the support of Ukraine. I then said: The Americans need the Germans too. We need each other to strengthen our democracies and to support other countries as allies when they are attacked by authoritarian rulers, as is the case in Ukraine. When President Biden visited Germany a few weeks ago, I had the honor of accompanying him. He told Chancellor Scholz that Germany is America's strongest and closest ally. That is true, and it must remain that way. It is incredibly important for our own lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren. Over 40 million Americans call Germany the country of origin of their family, including me. That is a huge percentage of our population. WELT: Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on US imports to ten or even 20 percent. There is a study by the German Economic Institute that says that such a trade war could mean a loss of 180 billion euros for Germany over four years. Is that in America's interest? Gutmann: No. The simple answer is no. It is actually a tax on middle-income and low-income Americans. The higher prices for imported goods would be passed on to the consumer. So it will be a terribly high tax that is unaffordable for most Americans. That is a terrible idea. WELT: Is Germany investing enough to protect itself and Europe militarily? Gutmann: Germany is investing more and more. But it will only be enough if we can help Ukraine win this war. And winning this war, as we know historically, probably means an agreement with Putin. But it has to be an agreement that allows Ukraine to continue as a secure, sovereign democracy. WELT: How realistic do you think peace in Ukraine is at the moment? Gutmann: At the moment, based on the evidence we have, we believe that Putin will not come to the negotiating table before the outcome of this US election. We have thought that for a long time. That is why we do not believe that now is the time to call on Ukraine to sit down at the table. Because that would mean surrender, and that is unacceptable. But that time will come. And when that time comes, we will support what Ukraine needs to move forward as a sovereign democracy. WELT: Are you confident that Volodymyr Zelensky would accept territorial concessions for peace? Gutmann: I am confident that Zelensky will do what is necessary to bring peace to a sovereign, democratic Ukraine. WELT: Based on statements by Trump and his possible vice president JD Vance, some in Europe fear that the US could weaken NATO or even withdraw from NATO. Gutmann: NATO is stronger than ever. That's what I mean when I say Putin miscalculated. Nobody could have imagined three years ago that Finland and Sweden would join NATO. NATO is incredibly important to the United States. We have an alliance that will protect our democracy and we will protect other democracies. There is broad bipartisan support for that. The idea that any president could doubt NATO's importance to the United States is foolish. It's simply foolish. WELT: You mentioned your family history. Your father fled Nazi Germany. Two of your relatives were in concentration camps. Gutmann: In Buchenwald. WELT: Recently, the war in the Middle East has sparked major anti-Israel protests at universities around the world, including in the USA. How do you perceive the atmosphere here at your university? Gutmann: On October 8, 2023, the day after the largest terrorist attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, I was able to speak with many German friends in front of the Brandenburg Gate in front of thousands of people to support Israel. That was hugely important to me. It is incredibly important to recognize that Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people and a democratic country. It is also important to recognize that all democracies are imperfect. One of our concerns is that Israel must do more to protect the Palestinian civilian population. It broke my heart when I saw some demonstrations on university grounds where people were shouting things like "Death to the Zionists". I am a proud Zionist. But being a Zionist means supporting Israel's right to exist. So we need to do a better job in education. And again, people have a right to free speech, but we have the right and the duty to say why it is so important that we defend Israel.