A large delegation from Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is expected to travel to Washington in December at the invitation of several House Republicans,
U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said Friday.
The outreach comes as prominent AfD figures intensify efforts to cultivate relationships with MAGA-aligned lawmakers, portraying themselves as victims of political repression and censorship in Germany.
“We’re hosting 40 members from the AfD,” Luna told Welt, a sister outlet of POLITICO within the Axel Springer group. “And it’s not just going to be me — other members of Congress will be involved.”
AfD officials, however, pushed back on the numbers. A party spokesperson said he could “neither confirm nor deny” that such a large group would attend, while the parliamentary group in the Bundestag insisted the number of federal lawmakers traveling would be far smaller.
Luna has emerged as one of the most outspoken U.S. supporters of AfD figures who claim they are being targeted for their political beliefs. She recently argued that “the German government’s recent actions against its own citizens resemble the authoritarianism of the Soviet Union prior to its fall more than Russia does today.”
Her comments echo those of several Trump-aligned officials. After Germany’s domestic intelligence agency designated the AfD an extremist organization earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the move as “tyranny in disguise.” At the Munich Security Conference, U.S. Vice President JD Vance urged mainstream European parties to dismantle long-standing “firewalls” that have kept far-right groups from entering government.
Germany’s postwar constitution allows domestic intelligence services to monitor — and, in extreme cases, pursue bans against — political organizations deemed a threat to the democratic order. The provisions were designed to prevent a repeat of the Nazi rise to power, in which anti-democratic forces used democratic institutions to seize control.
For AfD leaders, the Washington invitation represents a chance to bolster their narrative of persecution at home. Luna publicly invited AfD co-leader Alice Weidel late last month in a post on X. Weidel responded positively, saying she would make contact to discuss logistics.
Luna has also met with Naomi Seibt, a right-wing influencer and AfD ally who says she has applied for political asylum in the U.S., alleging “severe government and intelligence surveillance and harassment” in Germany over her political views. Luna described Seibt as “a great young woman” with “a promising future,” adding that she intends to support others who claim similar treatment.
“I do hope this at least opens dialogue about how the German government — specifically politicians and law enforcement — treat their own citizens, even if they disagree with them,” Luna said.
The December trip is expected to be followed by a larger conference early next year, which Luna said would serve as a kind of alternative to the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, with a focus on “the sovereignty of nations.” Photo by Ziko #noAfD van Dijk, Wikimedia commons.
