Germany’s AfD co-leader blames Trump’s midterm defeat on broken peace promises and Iran war, urges rethink of U.S. strategy
Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has blamed Donald Trump’s midterm election defeat on broken campaign promises, arguing that the U.S. president’s involvement in new wars, particularly the conflict with Iran, has driven up living costs and alienated American voters.
Chrupalla said Trump and the Republicans had campaigned in 2024 on promises of peace and economic security but had delivered the opposite, leaving voters frustrated with the administration’s record.
“First and foremost, Donald Trump and the Republicans lost, because in the 2024 campaign they promised American citizens very different things, namely peace and social security,” he said.
“Exactly the opposite happened. More wars were started, which drove the cost of living in America to exorbitant heights. This is the payback for that.”
The German politician singled out Trump’s failure to fulfill his pledge to end the war in Ukraine immediately after taking office.
He noted that Trump had promised to resolve the conflict on his first day as president but had failed to do so nearly two years into his term.
Chrupalla also criticized the U.S. military campaign against Iran, linking it to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting pressure on energy prices.
“He started more wars, like the Iran war, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Chrupalla said.
“Energy prices in America went through the roof, the cost of living rose drastically, and Americans did not forgive the Republicans for that.”
He described the Republican defeat as a consequence of failing to honor election promises, arguing that voters had punished the party for the gap between Trump’s campaign commitments and his actions in office.
Turning to the future of the Iran conflict, Chrupalla urged Trump to reconsider his military strategy and questioned whether Washington had a viable plan to end the war.
“I hope this leads Donald Trump to rethink the Iran war,” he said.
“He really has no exit strategy there, or none that is currently known.”
Chrupalla added that criticism was also emerging within Republican ranks over the administration’s inability to explain how the United States could withdraw from the conflict without suffering political damage.
“Even within Republican ranks, people criticise that no one knows how to get out of this war while saving face,” he said.
His remarks reflected criticism from a European political figure whose party has frequently challenged Western military involvement abroad and advocated a different approach to European security.
Chrupalla’s assessment placed the Iran war and the economic consequences of military escalation at the center of his explanation for the Republican election losses, while calling on Trump to reconsider the direction of U.S. foreign policy.