AGI
Jeffrey Rathke

Jeff Rathke

President of AGI

Jeffrey Rathke is the President of the American-German Institute at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC.

Prior to joining AGI, Jeff was a senior fellow and deputy director of the Europe Program at CSIS, where his work focused on transatlantic relations and U.S. security and defense policy. Jeff joined CSIS in 2015 from the State Department, after a 24-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, dedicated primarily to U.S. relations with Europe. He was director of the State Department Press Office from 2014 to 2015, briefing the State Department press corps and managing the Department’s engagement with U.S. print and electronic media. Jeff led the political section of the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur from 2011 to 2014. Prior to that, he was deputy chief of staff to the NATO Secretary General in Brussels. He also served in Berlin as minister-counselor for political affairs (2006–2009), his second tour of duty in Germany. His Washington assignments have included deputy director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs and duty officer in the White House Situation Room and State Department Operations Center.

Mr. Rathke was a Weinberg Fellow at Princeton University (2003–2004), winning the Master’s in Public Policy Prize. He also served at U.S. Embassies in Dublin, Moscow, and Riga, which he helped open after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Mr. Rathke has been awarded national honors by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as well as several State Department awards. He holds an M.P.P. degree from Princeton University and B.A. and B.S. degrees from Cornell University. He speaks German, Russian, and Latvian.

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jrathke@aicgs.org

Recent Content

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Episode 109: Angela Merkel’s Legacy

Germany’s longest-serving chancellor of the twenty-first century was also uniquely successful; Angela Merkel left office after sixteen years with an approval rating of over 70 percent. As Germany must now …

Germany’s Strategic Challenges after a Turbulent Month

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his national security team visited the United States July 9-11, and their engagement highlights the strategic challenges that Berlin must confront as the United States …

Episode 108: The Role of Germany’s Anti-Semitism Commissioners

In 2019, the federal states established the Joint Federal and State Commission to Fight Anti-Semitism and Protect Jewish Life. This initiative builds on Germany’s decades-long political and civil society efforts …

Episode 107: Interpreting the European Parliament Elections

From June 6 to 9, citizens across the European Union’s 27 member states voted for the 720 seats in the European Parliament. The center-right had the strongest result, with the …

Episode 105: Steadfast, Capable, and Ready: An Address by H.E. Boris Pistorius, German Minister of Defense

In this special episode of The Zeitgeist, we are sharing German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius’ address at an event hosted by AGI and Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced …

Episode 104: Germany Grapples with a World of Fragile Security

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 forced Germany’s government and public to think urgently about the threats to their security. Dr. Christian Mölling joins The Zeitgeist to discuss how …

Episode 103: Elections and the European Economy

Elections in Europe and the United States this year could have significant impacts on the European economy. The outcomes will influence how the transatlantic partners address the challenge from China …

Episode 102: The Trends Driving Europe’s Future

Every four years, the U.S. National Intelligence Council publishes its Global Trends report, an unclassified document that seeks to assess the key factors that shape the strategic environment for the …

Episode 101: Germany and the United States in an American Election Year

German Ambassador to the United States Andreas Michaelis joins The Zeitgeist podcast to discuss the state of the German-American relationship, how Germany is working with its key partners in Europe …

Episode 100: The Enduring Allure of Weimar Music and Culture

Max Raabe & the Palast Orchester have been playing the music of and inspired by the 1920s and 30s for almost forty years, to enormous success in Germany and internationally. …

Jeff Rathke on the U.S. Presidential Elections and Transatlantic Relations

Ahead of the New Hampshire primary, AGI President Jeff Rathke spoke to Südwest Presse (in German) about what motivates the U.S. electorate, the likelihood of a Trump/Biden rematch, and what …

Episode 99: Transatlantic Risks in 2024

2024 will be a year of crisis and change—the Russian aggression against Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and Africa; the continuing effects of climate change; and the biggest election …