German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivered an unusually blunt critique of U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump, framing Washington’s behavior as a direct threat to the global order it once helped build. Speaking late Wednesday at a symposium, Steinmeier warned that the international system risks collapsing into what he described as a “den of robbers,” where power prevails over rules and restraint. His remarks mark one of the strongest public condemnations of U.S. conduct by a senior German official during Trump’s presidency, and they underscore mounting anxiety in Europe about the durability of the postwar order.

Steinmeier, situated his criticism within a broader historical context. He described Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a watershed moment for global security. Yet he argued that U.S. actions now represent a second rupture. “Then there is the breakdown of values by our most important partner, the USA, which helped build this world order,” he said. By placing U.S. behavior alongside Russia’s actions, Steinmeier highlighted the depth of concern in Berlin about the erosion of shared norms that have shaped international relations for decades.

“Den of Robbers” Warning

The German president cautioned that without active resistance, the international system could slide into lawlessness. “It is about preventing the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want,” Steinmeier said, adding that entire regions or countries risk being treated “as the property of a few great powers.” His comments appeared to reference recent developments such as the reported ousting of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro at the weekend, though he did not cite specific U.S. operations by name.

While the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s words carry institutional and symbolic weight. Unlike the chancellor or cabinet ministers, the president is less constrained by day-to-day political calculations, allowing him greater latitude to articulate strategic concerns. That freedom has enabled Steinmeier to voice what many European officials have expressed more cautiously: that U.S. policy under Trump has strained alliances, weakened multilateral institutions, and challenged long-standing assumptions about American leadership.

Democracy Under Pressure

Steinmeier argued that democracy itself is under unprecedented strain. He said global democratic norms are being attacked “as never before,” a formulation that reflects concern over both authoritarian assertiveness and democratic backsliding within established systems. The critique aligns with broader European debates about safeguarding institutions amid geopolitical rivalry, economic coercion, and the normalization of power politics.

Calling for a proactive response, Steinmeier stressed that “active intervention was needed in threatening situations.” He urged countries beyond the traditional transatlantic core to play a larger role, singling out Brazil and India as states that must be persuaded to help protect the world order.