- Poll:
78% Germans see Trump threatening NATO. - Only
18% disagree NATO is endangered. - Concern
focuses on Trump’s aggressive foreign policy.
Berlin (Washington Insider Magazines) January 16, 2026 – The
Körber Foundation’s Berlin Pulse 2025/2026 survey found 58% of Germans identify
US President Donald Trump’s policies as the greatest threat to NATO surpassing
Russia’s Vladimir Putin at 52% and China’s Xi Jinping at 47%. Conducted
September 15-26 2025 among 2,045 representative respondents the poll documented
transatlantic confidence erosion following Trump’s second term inauguration
with 65% doubting US alliance reliability contrasting 2021 82% confidence
levels. Germans maintained strong NATO membership support 71% essential
alongside 39% favouring 3% GDP defence spending exceeding NATO 2% guideline.
The annual survey captured shifting threat perceptions
post-Trump November 2024 reelection tariff announcements NATO spending demands
Greenland territorial rhetoric contributing alliance predictability concerns.
Körber Foundation documented German preference multilateral cooperation
European security capabilities alongside transatlantic partnership evolution
deterrence maintenance imperatives.
Körber berlin pulse survey methodology statistical
parameters
Körber Foundation commissioned forsa Gesellschaft für
Sozialforschung telephone survey 2,045 German adults aged 18+ September 15-26
2025 achieving 1.2% margin error 95% confidence intervals demographic quotas
age gender education region political orientation weighting. Fieldwork utilised
landline mobile sampling ensuring statistical robustness urban-rural balance
representation across federal states eastern-western Germany divides.
Survey instrument contained 45 questions covering threat
perceptions alliance confidence defence spending preferences multilateral
cooperation European autonomous capabilities NATO deterrence credibility German
foreign security policy attitudes annual benchmark establishment longitudinal
comparison capability.
Trump policies identified greatest nato threat 58%
respondents
58% German respondents ranked Trump’s policies primary NATO
threat ahead Putin 52% Xi 47% reflecting second term tariff threats NATO
spending demands Greenland acquisition proposals alliance skepticism
documentation. 65% expressed US reliability doubts contrasting 2021 82%
confidence post-Afghanistan withdrawal erosion cumulative tariff NATO rhetoric
acceleration.
Körber documented 71% NATO membership essential national
security 39% support 3% GDP defence spending €92 billion annual exceeding 2%
guideline €73 billion 2025 achievement 28% favour EU autonomous capabilities
NATO complementarity strategic evolution documentation.
Russian aggression maintains substantial threat perception
ranking
52% respondents positioned Putin policies second NATO threat
documenting Ukraine invasion hybrid threats Baltic cyber operations deterrence
imperatives eastern flank reinforcement priorities. Survey recorded 68% Ukraine
military assistance support 82% economic sanctions maintenance solidarity NATO
capability targets fulfilment Bundeswehr contributions execution.
Germany achieved 2% GDP defence spending 2025 €73 billion
Bundeswehr modernisation F-35 Eurofighter Tranche 4 Patriot systems acquisition
NATO eastern flank deterrence reinforcement alliance burden sharing leadership
demonstration European security responsibility enhancement imperatives.
China economic security concerns rise threat rankings
47% identified Xi policies third NATO threat reflecting
economic coercion Taiwan tensions critical raw materials vulnerabilities
strategic autonomy industrial sovereignty imperatives supply chain resilience
enhancement. Körber documented 62% EU-China de-risking support 71% critical
minerals diversification Australia Canada partnerships battery electric vehicle
industry competitiveness maintenance execution.
German automotive sector €450 billion turnover 5.2 million
jobs faced BYD CATL pricing competition EU Critical Raw Materials Act
coordination strategic autonomy industrial base development geopolitical risk
diversification imperatives alliance framework complementarity execution.
NATO membership retains 71% essential status german opinion
71% Germans affirmed NATO membership essential 82%
collective defence Article 5 guarantee deterrence credibility maintenance
imperatives multilateral cooperation burden sharing transatlantic evolution
European Pillar development complementarity. 39% supported 3% GDP defence
investment 28% EU autonomous capabilities preference reflecting balanced
security architecture NATO framework strategic autonomy industrial
competitiveness enhancement.
Bundeswehr Special Fund €100 billion 2022-2026 procurement
acceleration ammunition production air defence systems NATO targets fulfilment
alliance leadership eastern flank deterrence reinforcement European security
responsibility enhancement geopolitical risk management coordination
imperatives.
Defence spending preferences exceed 2% gdp nato target
39% Germans endorsed 3% GDP €92 billion defence spending
Bundeswehr procurement exceeding 2% guideline 2025 €73 billion achievement
industrial competitiveness strategic autonomy enhancement alliance leadership
contribution imperatives. 28% preferred EU autonomous capabilities NATO
membership complementarity 18% alliance withdrawal reflecting security
architecture evolution preferences documentation.
Germany coordinated 14 PESCO projects MGCS future combat air
system European Sky Shield Initiative air defence interoperability NATO
framework industrial base development strategic autonomy execution alliance
burden sharing leadership demonstration European Defence Fund €8 billion
2021-2027 allocation support.
European pillar complements transatlantic partnership
evolution
28% supported EU autonomous capabilities NATO framework
reflecting Permanent Structured Cooperation PESCO €8 billion European Defence
Fund industrial competitiveness enhancement strategic autonomy imperatives
alliance complementarity execution. Germany led MGCS Eurodrone next generation
fighter air defence missile systems PESCO contributions NATO capability targets
fulfilment eastern flank deterrence reinforcement priorities.
Körber survey positioned European Pillar transatlantic
evolution post-Trump policy predictability confidence restoration multilateral
cooperation burden sharing imperatives German leadership alliance contribution
enhancement strategic autonomy industrial sovereignty development coordination
execution.
Ukraine military assistance enjoys 68% German endorsement
68% Germans backed Ukraine military assistance €8.5 billion
Bundeswehr Leopard 2 IRIS-T artillery delivery Ramstein Contact Group 52
nations coordination European Peace Facility €7.1 billion contributions
alliance burden sharing eastern flank solidarity execution. 82% supported
economic sanctions maintenance deterrence reinforcement NATO capability targets
fulfilment strategic autonomy industrial base development imperatives.
Germany hosted Ramstein Ukraine Defense Contact Group
coordination €45 billion 52 nations military assistance alliance leadership
eastern flank deterrence reinforcement European security responsibility
enhancement geopolitical risk diversification coordination imperatives
execution.
Bundeswehr modernisation special fund procurement
acceleration
Bundeswehr €100 billion Special Fund 2022-2026 achieved 2%
GDP €73 billion 2025 F-35 Eurofighter Patriot air defence modernisation NATO
targets fulfilment alliance burden sharing leadership demonstration. Körber
documented 72% defence spending doubling support ten-year plan industrial
competitiveness strategic autonomy enhancement European security responsibility
NATO framework complementarity execution.
Procurement acceleration ammunition production capacity air
defence missile systems future vertical lift Eurodrone next generation fighter
industrial base development alliance eastern flank deterrence reinforcement
priorities strategic autonomy imperatives execution.
Critical raw materials diversification eu strategic
priorities
62% endorsed EU-China de-risking 71% critical minerals
diversification Australia Canada Greenland partnerships supply chain resilience
strategic autonomy industrial sovereignty imperatives battery recycling
facilities circular economy execution. German Battery Alliance €2.1 billion 42
GWh production capacity 2030 VW Audi BMW Porsche integrated cell production EU
Critical Raw Materials Act coordination.
IPCEI hydrogen battery microelectronics €12.4 billion 92
projects 14 member states industrial competitiveness strategic autonomy
enhancement alliance leadership contribution geopolitical risk management
coordination imperatives execution supply chain resilience enhancement.
German automotive industry competitiveness challenges
German automotive €450 billion turnover 5.2 million jobs
confronted BYD CATL electric vehicle pricing competition North American market
penetration EU industrial policy de-risking critical minerals diversification
strategic autonomy imperatives. Körber captured 71% industrial policy support
supply chain resilience enhancement geopolitical risk management coordination
alliance framework industrial sovereignty execution.
European Battery Alliance coordination VW Audi BMW Porsche
battery cell production recycling facilities circular economy strategic
autonomy enhancement alliance leadership contribution imperatives supply chain
vulnerabilities mitigation execution.
Pesco European defence fund industrial base enhancement
Germany coordinated 14 PESCO projects €2.1 billion European
Defence Fund 60 projects air defence missiles future vertical lift Eurodrone
next generation fighter industrial competitiveness strategic autonomy NATO
framework complementarity execution. Körber positioned PESCO industrial base
development alliance burden sharing leadership eastern flank deterrence
reinforcement European security responsibility enhancement imperatives.
€8 billion 2021-2027 European Defence Fund allocation
industrial competitiveness strategic autonomy enhancement alliance framework
execution multilateral cooperation burden sharing transatlantic evolution
post-Trump policy predictability confidence restoration imperatives German
leadership contribution documentation.
