Berlin to buy more jets from US, media say – DW – 10/20/2025

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has proposed that US President Donald Trump be made an honorary citizen of the Bad Durkheim district in south-western Germany, from where his grandparents moved to New York in the late 19th century.

“The reason for our motion in the district council is that Donald Trump has brought peace to the Israel-Gaza conflict and secured the release of Israeli and eight German hostages,” Thomas Steffen, leader of the local AfD group, told the dpa news agency.

The district council has confirmed receipt of the proposal, which it will discuss at its October 29 meeting.

However, Hans-Ulrich Ihlenfeld, district administrator for Chancellor Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), said he thought it unlikely the proposal would win a majority.

“Regardless of whether an honorary citizen would want Donald Trump or not, the question of honorary citizenship and possible criteria for it should be thoroughly discussed in district committees,” he told dpa.

Trump’s family has its roots in Kallstedt, a small wine-growing village that is part of Bad Dürkheim in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to order 15 F-35 fighter planes from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in addition to the 35 planes that have already been requested, the news magazine mirror Have reported.

The jets are intended to replace Germany’s 85 aging Tornado fighter planes and could carry US nuclear bombs stored in Germany if conflict broke out.

The additional aircraft are expected to cost around €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion), a source told Reuters news agency, citing confidential documents prepared for parliament’s budget committee.

The news comes as Germany significantly increased its defense budget in response to the threat of Russian aggression.

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In another sign of the changing security situation in Europe in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Germany is reportedly planning to order more US-made F-35 fighter jets from its expanded military budget.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is under investigation for suspected right-wing extremism, has made news with its proposal to make US President Donald Trump an honorary citizen of the district of Bad Dürkheim, the birthplace of his grandparents.

And the leadership of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) will conclude a meeting that will focus on the party’s approach to the AfD amid calls from some members to lift a ban on cooperation with the populists.

We hope you enjoy reading our summary of the city talk in Germany on Monday, October 20.