Transatlantic Program

On September 7, 2022, Aspen Germany will host a discussion on “Fit for Future? A Sustainable Path Towards Urban Construction and City Planning” as part of “Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project”. What kind of cities do we want to live in? Berlin, Los Angeles, Atlanta – cities are an integral part of political, […]

On July 21, 2022, Aspen Germany hosted an exclusive breakfast discussion with Kevin de León, Councilmember of the Los Angeles City Council and former President pro Tempore of the California State Senate. The discussion was moderated by Matt Petersen, President & CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) and Participant of Aspen Germany’s Future Cities […]

As part of its Laboratories of Democracy Initiative, Aspen Germany will host the second in-person meeting of the second round of exchanges in Trenton, New Jersey, United States, on September 13-17, 2022. The project brings together a group of German and U.S.-American state legislators each year to facilitate a values-based discussion and an exchange of […]

The transatlantic cooperation project “Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project” aims to raise awareness for the complexity of the city of tomorrow among a wide range of stakeholders in society and to provide new impetus for the development of future scenarios. On September 21, 2022, the participating representatives from politics, culture, sports, art, health, media […]

In just a few days, the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn one of the most important landmark decisions in Supreme Court history. The right of women to terminate their pregnancies, and thus their right to bodily self-determination, has been enshrined in Roe v. Wade since 1973 and is now up for dispute. This is suggested […]

On May 2, 2022, Aspen Germany hosted the second virtual meeting for the participating German state legislators of its Laboratories of Democracy Initiative and welcomed Boris Vormann, Professor of Politics and Director of the Politics Concentration at Bard College Berlin, as an expert and speaker. Mr. Vormann’s presentation and the subsequent joint exchange addressed governance in […]

On April 20, 2022, Aspen Germany hosted the second virtual meeting for the participating U.S-American state legislators of its Laboratories of Democracy Initiative and welcomed Dr. Dörte Ohlhorst, Research Fellow, Institute for Environmental and Climate Policy, Bavarian School of Public Policy, Technical University of Munich, as an expert and speaker. Dr. Ohlhorst’s presentation and the […]

As part of its Laboratories of Democracy Initiative, Aspen Germany hosted the first in-person meeting of the second round of exchanges in Schwerin, Germany, on May 10-14, 2022. The project brings together a group of German and U.S.-American state legislators each year to facilitate a values-based discussion and an exchange of ideas about how to […]

The transatlantic cooperation project “Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project” aims to raise awareness for the complexity of the city of tomorrow among a wide range of stakeholders in society and to provide new impetus for the development of future scenarios. On June 21, 2022, the participating representatives from politics, culture, sports, art, health, […]

The transatlantic cooperation project “Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project” aims to raise awareness for the complexity of the city of tomorrow among a wide range of stakeholders in society and to provide new impetus for the development of future scenarios. On June 16, 2022, our diverse group of representatives from politics, culture, sports, […]

In the end of September 2021, the foundation was laid: high-ranking representatives of the European Union and the Government of the United States came together for the inaugural meeting of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The second round of negotiations of this promising body is scheduled for May 15 and […]

On Monday, April 4, 2022, the Aspen Institute Germany kicked-off this year’s Laboratories of Democracy Initiative. The institute welcomed the fourteen participants of the 2022 cohort for a first virtual get-together. Each year, the project brings together seven American state legislators and seven representatives of the German Landtage to facilitate a values-based discussion on current […]

Russia’s President Putin has violated the principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity under international law in his war of aggression against Ukraine. Imperial action in the competition of great powers thus seems to have returned to Europe. Putin is known to want to split NATO and the European Union and expand the Russian sphere […]

Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine since February 24 of this year. The humanitarian need is appalling. The consequences for the security architecture in Europe and the world order are not yet foreseeable. But the economic consequences of the invasion will also be severe. The G7, the EU and the U.S. […]

On March 2, 2022, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany hosted the fifth discussion in our virtual event series State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue with German and American state legislators. While global challenges are addressed by national governments, increasingly subnational actors such as states, communities, and cities have needed to step up to take action when […]

With some 100,000 Russian troops positioned on Ukraine’s eastern border, President Putin has demanded concrete security guarantees from both the United States and NATO. These include, most importantly, an end to NATO’s eastward expansion and military non-alignment as well as a withdrawal of allied troops and weapons from former Warsaw Pact countries. Meanwhile, the United […]

On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States of America. Today – one year later – it is worth taking stock of his term in office. On the domestic policy level, the huge stimulus package and the bipartisan infrastructure bill certainly stand out. On the foreign […]

“Daring more progress”: This is the guiding principle for the three coalition partners of the new traffic light government. The SPD, the Greens, and the FDP want to modernize Germany in virtually all policy areas. This also applies to the international level and in particular to the transatlantic partnership with the United States. The new […]

U.S. President Joe Biden took office with the ambition of reconciling a deeply divided American society. After the toxic Trump years, he wanted to create a new unity in a polarized country. So, from day one, his reform efforts were directed at the domestic challenges the country faced. The President and his administration call this […]

As part of the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative, Aspen Germany hosted an in-person meeting with the first cohort of German and American state legislators in Stuttgart from October 13 to 16, 2021. Besides addressing broader issues in the transatlantic relationship, the first cohort focused on the core topic of digitalization. Three subtopics were of particular […]

The chaotic and very inglorious end of the 20-year military intervention in Afghanistan marks a turning point in the West’s foreign and security policy. In view of the failed efforts in the region, the many civilian and military casualties, and the immense costs, the sense and purpose of international interventions needs to be reconsidered. So it […]

Extreme temperatures of up to nearly 50 degrees Celsius in the Canadian province of British Columbia and in the U.S. states of Washington State, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Nevada have already claimed the lives of a triple-digit number of people this summer. Wildfires, droughts and water shortages are other devastating side effects of human-induced climate […]

On September 9, 2021, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany co-hosted a virtual workshop as part of the “Transatlantic Young Political Leaders Dialogue”. The common goal is to bring together young political leaders from Germany and the United States to exchange ideas on common transatlantic challenges. The workshop specifically targeted rising […]

The space policy of the United States of America is experiencing a renaissance. The end of the space shuttle program was several years ago. In the meantime, the U.S. is significantly increasing its efforts again. This applies both to civilian use and exploration of space and to the security sphere in space. The focal points […]

The digital transformation is causing some of the most profound societal challenges of the 21st century. Hardly any area of life exists that is not impacted by its far-reaching consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the move toward digitalization, drawing out aspects of inequality even as it enables new forms of economic and social resilience.   Against […]

On June 23, 2021, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany hosted the fourth discussion in our virtual event series State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue with German and American state legislators. While global challenges are addressed by national governments, increasingly subnational actors such as states, communities, and cities have needed to step up to take action when […]

It is a true summit marathon taking place in Europe these days. The heads of state and government of the G7 and NATO members are meeting, as are the leaders of the European Union and the United States. For Joe Biden, it is his first visit to Europe as U.S. President. The agenda is packed with issues on economic, financial and trade […]

The People‘s Republic of China represents a geostrategic, economic, technological, and security challenge for the United States and the European Union. Europe’s interests vis-à-vis China are somewhat different from those of the United States. This has far-reaching consequences for the respective policies of the United States and the EU with regard to China. What are […]

On May 20, 2021, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany hosted the third discussion in our virtual event series State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue with German and American state legislators. While global challenges are addressed by national governments, increasingly subnational actors such as states, communities, and cities have needed to step up to […]

When Joseph R. Biden, Jr. took office on January 20, the United States was simultaneously experiencing a severe pandemic, a deep recession, and widespread polarization. Since that day, the 46th President of the United States has been tackling the country‘s enormous problems at a pace and with a verve that not many observers thought possible. […]

“I can say quite clearly: Don’t come,“ U.S. President Biden recently said in an interview, addressing migrants from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Time and again, thousands of migrants from Central and South America make the long and arduous journey to the southern border of the United States. For four years, Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump […]

As part of the virtual event series State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany hosted a discussion on “Climate Change and Energy Policy at the State Level” with German and American state legislators including Barbara Becker, MdL (CSU), State Parliament of Bavaria; Joschka Knuth, MdL (Alliance 90/The […]

The future of NATO and transatlantic security policy is always an important topic in U.S.-European relations. In a globalized world full of complex threats, it is part of the day-to-day cooperation of the Western allies. It also has an effect on major forums which look beyond the existing cooperation. Recently, this could be observed at […]

On March 10, 2021, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany launched the new virtual series „State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue.” The first event addressed “Digital Democracy: The Impact of Digitalization on Politics and Governance” with Assemblymember Marc Berman (D),  California State Assembly, Daniel Karrais MdL (FDP), member of the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg, and, Katharina […]

Over the past four years, the transatlantic relationship has been severely strained. A multitude of conflicts have eroded trust and understanding. But despite recent turbulence, the United States, Europe, and Germany share common interests and values. Only by working together can we adequately address global challenges and reinforce our values and systems of democracies at […]

America is back on the world stage. This is especially true when it comes to climate policy. After President Trump aggressively refused to face the reality of climate change and reversed the United States‘ progress in reducing greenhouse gases with numerous measures, President Biden has announced a comprehensive climate protection program upon taking office. With […]

On February 11, 2021, Aspen Germany hosted the seventh event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative” to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and education. Building on the last meeting on January 15, participants dove deeper into these two subtopics under the umbrella of the economic impact of the […]

Joe Biden has been in office for about two weeks. On his very first day, he signed 17 executive orders. The 46th president of the United States has moved into the White House with an ambitious agenda that includes addressing the Corona pandemic, bringing forth economic recovery and promoting climate policy. And the man from […]

The United States is currently experiencing one of the darkest periods in its recent history. The images of a wild mob pushing into the Capitol while meeting little resistance and of an armed stand-off between Trump supporters and Capitol Police were unprecedented and mark a historic turning point. It was a wake-up call for the […]

On January 15, 2021, Aspen Germany hosted the sixth event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative” to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on state economies. The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a global health crisis. It is also severely affecting our economies, leading to both a global recession […]

President Donald Trump continues to cast doubt on the election results, further fueling conspiracy theories despite the fact that his lawyers have suffered defeat after defeat in the courts with their numerous lawsuits. What does Trump hope for at this point? In the meantime, Joe Biden’s preparations to take office on January 20, 2021, are […]

On December 8, 2020, Aspen Germany hosted the fifth event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative” to discuss leadership in times of crisis. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our world faces a time of crisis unparalleled in most of our lifetimes. In times of global crisis, good leadership is essential […]

America has elected a new president. The U.S. election will not only shape the social climate and political course of the United States for the coming years, but also America’s role in the world. The greatest task facing President-elect Joe Biden will be to reunite a divided nation. Even though election day is behind us, […]

On November 20, 2020, Aspen Germany hosted the fourth event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative” to discuss the role of tech in the COVID-19 response.  Breakout sessions addressed opportunities for technological innovation in combating the health crisis, cybersecurity threats, and privacy concerns amid COVID-19. How can technological innovations like […]

Just two weeks before the presidential election, the campaigns of President Trump and his challenger Joe Biden are focusing on the swing states that will decide the race to the White House. While some states are traditionally blue or red states that vote consistently for the Democrat or Republican party, the swing states are the […]

Presidential debates are major events in the U.S. election campaign. With only a few weeks left before the elections, the debates give candidates the opportunity to position themselves on the core topics, outline their presidential agenda, and dissociate themselves from their opponent. The first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on September 29 was […]

On October 2, 2020, Aspen Germany hosted the third event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, German and American subnational governments are at the frontline of tackling the virus and its economic and social impact. They have a key role to play in tracking and testing, […]

The QAnon conspiracy theories are a mixture of substitute religion, right-wing pseudo-mysticism, social event and fake news entertainment. The movement is gaining more and more followers around the world, not only in the United States. How can this phenomenon be explained and how dangerous is it for democracy? How do tech companies regulate content associated […]

On September 10, 2020, Aspen Germany hosted the second event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative.” The webinar series brings together German and American state legislators as part of the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative. The second webinar addressed governance in Germany at the federal, state, and local level. It gave […]

On September 9, 2020, Aspen Germany hosted the first event of its series “Virtual Road to the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative.” The webinar series brings together German and American state legislators as part of the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative. The first session addressed governance in the United States at the federal, state, and local level. […]

The first episode of America’s Choice takes a look at the primary elections in the United States. For the Democratic Party, the crucial phase of the primary campaign is underway. In the upcoming months, all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. territories will vote on who will run against President Donald Trump as the […]

Super Tuesday is over. The cards in the democratic primary race have been reshuffled. Senator Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden became the leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for President. At the same time, Biden succeeded in regaining his status as a frontrunner and made major step toward his nomination. Tyson Barker, […]

The corona crisis is keeping the world in suspense and will also determine the further course of the American election campaign. In this America’s Choice episode, Tyson Barker, Deputy Director and Fellow at the Aspen Institute Germany, and David Deißner, Executive Director at Atlantik-Brücke, analyze the results of the Democratic primaries in Florida, Illinois, and […]

Until recently the Democratic primaries have dominated the news, but it has gone quite around the election campaigns. The corona virus and the Trump administration’s crisis management have seized the headlines. In this episode of America’s Choice, Tyson Barker, Deputy Director and Fellow at the Aspen Institute Germany, and David Deißner, Executive Director at Atlantik-Brücke, […]

The American economy is in an induced coma, unemployment figures are rising to dizzying heights, and the estimates for the COVID-19 death toll in the United States are alarming. The President is currently commenting on the corona virus situation daily in his press briefings. In this podcast episode, Tyson Barker, Deputy Director and Fellow at […]

Barack Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders both officially endorsed Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president. How important is their support for Biden’s campaign? Can Joe Biden, who is considerate a moderate Democrat, court left-wing Sanders supporters? Will he succeed in mobilizing African-Americans to vote for him in November? Who do Christian conservative voters […]

The country is slowly opening up again. Against the backdrop of anti-quarantine protests and mounting economic pressure, U.S. states are trying to return to a “new normal” with different timelines and exit strategies. But despite the ever-increasing longing for normalcy, the U.S. election campaigns are still very much conditioned by corona restrictions. Tyson Barker, Deputy […]

The corona virus has reached the White House. At the same time, the president is weighing the state of the country’s economy, which is expected to be a decisive factor in the November election, against the health concerns of scientists. His approval ratings among the American public are dropping. Can Joe Biden benefit from President […]

This year Americans will not only elect the next president, but a vote is also held to fill one-third of the Senate seats. Currently, Republicans have a narrow majority in the Senate. Will they be able to hold control of the chamber? What are the battleground states in the Senate race? Are there any potential […]

The United States are in turmoil following the fatal arrest of the African-American George Floyd. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide outcry and massive protests against racial injustice and police brutality. President Donald Trump, who has been criticized across party lines for his remarks about the protests, has been accused of contributing to further polarization and division. […]

Fifty-one percent of the people in the United States are women. How will they influence the November election results? What issues are particularly important to women? Do the two genders differ in their preferences at the ballot box with regard to party affiliation? And what are President Trump and Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential […]

American foreign policy is not a preeminent issue in the U.S. presidential election. But the next U.S. president’s foreign policy priorities and stance on international cooperation will shape world affairs and redefine relations to allies and rivals alike. This is particularly true for the European Union as rifts between Europe and the United States have […]

There are just over 100 days left until the US elections on November 3. The campaign teams behind President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are working on the best strategies to reach the public in times of COVID-19 and win over undecided voters. What are the strategies of the Trump and Biden campaigns and how […]

Joe Biden’s search for a running mate has been underway for several months, prompting speculations about who might be the leading contender. Now Biden has announced Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate. What does the 55-year-old politician from California stand for? How will Biden’s decision affect his campaign and the election? We also look […]

This year the Democrats will have to do without speeches in front of a cheering audience and a big balloon drop. For the first time in history, the nominating convention takes place virtually. But can virtual and recorded speeches inspire viewers and help mobilize voters? How did speakers address the triple crisis of a pandemic, […]

The Republican National Convention was held under the motto “Make America Great Again, Again.” President Donald Trump and the invited speakers ­– many of them members of the Trump family – campaigned for Trump’s reelection, painting a dire portrait of a United States under Joe Biden. Who were the key speakers and what topics did […]

On June 11, 2020, the Aspen Institute Germany hosted a virtual book presentation and discussion entitled “A Conversation on Trump’s Washington” with Susan B. Glasser, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of the weekly column “Letter from Trump’s Washington.” Her column has become essential reading on the Trump White House. A selection of […]

On May 19, 2020, the Aspen Institute Germany together with the Aspen Institute Central Europe, the Aspen Institute France, the Aspen Institute Italia, the Aspen Institute Kyiv and the Aspen Institute Romania hosted a virtual discussion on “Transatlantic Solidarity in Times of COVID-19 – A Bipartisan Congressional Perspective“ with Congressman William R. Keating (D-MA) and […]

On November 6, 2019 the Aspen Institute Germany hosted its sixth annual Berlin Transatlantic Forum entitled “Fit for Purpose? The Transatlantic Relationship and the World of Tomorrow.” Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, this conference took stock of the transatlantic relationship and discussed lessons learned for the future. One-on-one conversations with former […]

At the Spring Meeting of the Youth Officers 2017 in Strausberg Tyson Barker, Program Director Digital of the Aspen Institute Germany started off the Transatlantic Panel on March 27 with Julia Obermeier, MP (CSU), Christian Thiels, Managing Editor of Tagesthemen and Defence Expert at Tagesschau, and Dr. Tobias Bunde, Head of Policy and Analysis at […]

From May 7-13, the Aspen Institute Germany hosted the third Aspen German-American Dialog under the auspices of the Coordinator for Transatlantic Cooperation, Representative Jürgen Hardt (CDU). The program aimed to revitalize the German-American Partnership, to strengthen mutual understanding, and to provide a platform to find common answers to pressing problems of the 21st century at […]

The Aspen Institute Germany hosted its third Aspen Transatlantic Workshop in Berlin from May 15-17, 2017. The workshop brought together 26 experts and decision makers from Europe and the US from politics, business, think tanks, and media. It explored the future of the liberal international order that has been serving as framework for peace, stability, […]

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the State Department-German Federal Foreign Office Exchange program, the U.S. Embassy Berlin and the Federal Foreign Office hosted a conversation on the state of transatlantic relations with Conrad Tribble, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and top U.S. diplomat to Western Europe and the EU, and Andreas Michaelis, State Secretary […]

The Aspen Institute Germany, Atlantic Council, and Internet Economy Foundation organized the first workshop of their project on the Transatlantic Digital Agenda. The project explores how shared values in the transatlantic partnership can be transposed into effective policy for the digital age. Over the next three years the partners will organize a series of seminars […]

Just four weeks after the German national election, on October 26, 2017, the Aspen Institute Germany hosted its fourth annual Transatlantic Conference. The conference participants looked at the state and future of the liberal order and discussed what role Germany is able and willing to play. Brexit and the election of Donald Trump are signs […]

The Aspen Institute Germany hosted its fourth Aspen Transatlantic Workshop in Berlin from September 27-29, 2018 as part of the annual Berlin Transatlantic Forum. The workshop brought together experts and decision makers from Europe and the U.S. from politics, business, think tanks, and media. The post-World War II order is on shaky ground. The rise […]

On the evening of October 15, 2018, kicking off its fifth annual Berlin Transatlantic Forum, the Aspen Institute Germany held its first ever Oxford-style debate on the question of the global trade order. The debate around the assertion “The global trade order serves American and European democracies well” pit one German and one American on […]

“Present at the new Creation? Tech. Power. Democracy.” was this year’s topic at the 5thannual Berlin Transatlantic Forum on October 16, 2018 hosted by the Aspen Institute Germany at the Bundespresseamt. The conference kicked off with a keynote and a panel analyzing the state of the transatlantic relationship and where transatlantic cooperation could be intensified […]

From June 12 to 14, 2019 Aspen Germany hosted the first group of Aspen NEXT Fellows as part of its fifth Transatlantic Workshop. Looking back at the historic events of 1989, the participants explored value hierarchies then and today, their translation into institutions and how events since have shaped the value sets that underlie our […]