AfD Co-Leader to Attend Trump Inauguration Amid Controversy

Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), will attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. The move continues the AfD's controversial ties with Trump allies and raises concerns about influence on European politics before the German elections.

Tino Chrupalla, a co-leader of Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), has accepted an invitation to attend the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. This comes as Germany braces for an upcoming federal election.

The invitation follows an endorsement from Trump ally Elon Musk, as well as a recent discussion between Chrupalla's co-leader, Alice Weidel, and Musk on social media platform X, raising concerns about U.S. influence over European politics. Despite the AfD's growing popularity, mainstream German parties refuse to collaborate with the group due to its right-wing extremist links, monitored by security services.

Commenting on the invitation, Chrupalla stated that attending Trump's inauguration demonstrates the AfD's interest-led policies and commitment to being a robust partner in Europe. While Trump has extended invitations to multiple foreign leaders—a rare move due to security reasons—Germany's official representative will be its ambassador to the United States.

(With inputs from agencies.)