European Union Mulls Punishing German Region for Electing Populists.

The European Union is contemplating withholding funds from Saxony-Anhalt following Alternative for Germany’s win in its regional elections, alleging potential breaches of EU principles.

On Sunday, the AfD won its first state-wide victory ever in Saxony-Anhalt, as support for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s notionally center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) plummeted. The AfD won almost 44 percent of the vote but fell three seats short of a majority in the Landtag, equivalent to a U.S. state legislature. Saxony-Anhalt is set to receive €2.95 billion (~$3.4 billion) from the EU’s 2021-27 budget. However, Daniel Freund, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Greens, a left-wing European party, has pushed to withhold the funds from the region. Freund argued that funds should be withheld from the region if an AfD-controlled state government legislates in a way contrary to so-called EU values. The EU has previously withheld funds from Hungary and Poland under similar circumstances.

Freezing EU funds could significantly affect Saxony-Anhalt’s regional development, impacting public infrastructure and services. The AfD has dismissed the EU’s potential actions as undemocratic, characterizing the idea as punishing the voters of Saxony-Anhalt. If the EU opts to freeze funds to the region or attempts to override state government decisions through financial pressure, this could increase hostility towards the EU and bolster support for the AfD. It is also possible that the EU goes ahead with defunding the region in order to slight President Donald J. Trump, who congratulated the AfD on their win earlier this week. “Wow! The Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night… THEY ARE ON THE RISE, and not going to take it anymore! MGGA!!!” wrote President Donald J. Trump on Truth Social

We laugh at our partisan opponents, who are now also seeking to disadvantage us undemocratically at EU level.” – Bernd Baumann, AfD parliamentary managing director.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2026/09/10/european-union-mulls-punishing-german-region-for-electing-populists/

Report: Vance, Rubio Have Warned Trump the Iran War Could Run Into 2029.

Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have privately warned President Donald J. Trump that the conflict with Iran could continue through the remainder of his presidency, potentially lasting beyond January 2029, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing U.S. officials. The warnings were reportedly delivered during private discussions in the Oval Office and the Situation Room, where senior officials raised concerns that Tehran could continue to resist American military and economic pressure.

The assessment stands in stark contrast to Trump’s public prediction that the conflict will end “immediately” after the November midterm elections because Iran will no longer be able to sustain its resistance. Trump has also said that negotiations with Tehran are not currently being pursued, despite acknowledging that diplomacy remains possible. The reported warnings come as the conflict enters its seventh month, with the U.S military continuing operations and economic pressure against Iran while Tehran maintains its ability to retaliate. Vance previously declined to establish a timeline for ending the fighting and said he would not characterize the conflict as a traditional war. The administration has increasingly relied on sanctions and a naval blockade to pressure Tehran into abandoning its nuclear ambitions, but Vance and Rubio’s reported assessment suggests the strategy may not produce a rapid resolution. The White House has not publicly confirmed the reported private discussions, while a spokesman said that Trump alone determines what actions the United States will take and when.

The attacks are made by us. We’ve knocked out nine of their ships… and you’re going to see a lot more.” – President Donald J. Trump

If Vance and Rubio’s assessment proves accurate, the Iran war could become the defining issue of Trump’s second term, taking away from his policies on immigration, tariff reform, and reviving American manufacturing.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2026/09/10/report-vance-rubio-have-warned-trump-the-iran-war-could-run-into-2029/