I’m German. The USA made it possible for me to grow up in a functional democracy.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans died so I could have that privilege.
They died fighting for my unborn ass’s rights, against my grandparents’ fellows.
Fortunately, my grandparents weren’t involved in killing them, but that was pure chance.
Growing up, the USA was the shining beacon in the west.
The country that was so much better, freer and cooler than mine.
I learnt English listening to American Forces Network, the radio station of the US armed forces in Germany, every night.
Literally my main goal in life was to be able to one day move to the USA and become a citizen.
I lived in the USA for one year pre-9/11 and could hardly wait to finish my studies and maybe one day acquire a Green Card.
But after 2001 (damn, that’s already 24 years ago), it started to turn.
I celebrated when the German chancellor refused to support the USA in the illegal invasion of Iraq.
Then I stayed up every night, watching the live footage from the reporters embedded with the invasion forces.
It was awesome. It was awful.
Nowadays it’s just the latter.
Trump v1 was a fluke, Trump v2 put the USA on the same level as Russia for me.
(I know enough Russians to know the situation is comparable. Russians aren’t one single bit more evil or more complacent than US Americans in 2025. And neither are Chinese.)

tl/dr: Trump’s second term has absolutely obliterated my belief in the USA.
Sorry for the rant, I’m a bit drunk and frustrated with…vaguely gestures at everything.