“The transatlantic relationship is already damaged”

Increasing polarization, declining trust in elections, and a politicized judiciary are shaping the domestic political situation in the United States. These developments not only endanger the functioning of one of the world’s oldest democracies but also affect the international order, which for decades has relied on the stability of American democracy. Does the current crisis have structural causes? And what political consequences does it hold for Europe?

Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, Senior Advisor, Sustainable Social Market Economy, Bertelsmann Stiftung, spoke at the Frankfurt Luncheon on November 28, 2025, about the future of American democracy. Find out what her key assessments are in our short interview.