Jeffrey Rathke is the President of the American-German Institute 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 MPP degree from Princeton University and BA and BS degrees from Cornell University. He speaks German, Russian, and Latvian.
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Episode 142: The AfD and the 2026 State Elections
Five state elections will be held in Germany in 2026. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) enters this “super election year” in a strong position: it is the largest opposition party …
The With-Limits Partnership
The March 3 visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to Washington was planned well before the launch of the American and Israeli war on Iran. While the U.S. military action …
Friedrich Merz in Washington: AGI Analysis in the Media
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office for a third time on March 3, 2026. Chancellor Merz’s visit came days after the United States …
Episode 141: Germany’s Other Populist Party
The BSW (formerly the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, now Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Reason) had early successes after its founding in 2024, winning seats in the European Parliament and …
Episode 140: The Transatlantic Relationship in a Transforming Global Trading System
How have increased geopolitical competition and changing trade policy objectives affected the transatlantic relationship, and what are the shared priorities for German and U.S. business? On this episode of The Zeitgeist, CEO of DHL …
Episode 139: The German-Polish Relationship amid Changing European Security Challenges
The European security landscape is shifting. The United States is pressuring Europe to manage the defense of its region, and many NATO allies have growing doubts about the long-term reliability …
Episode 138: The Trump Administration, the AfD, and German Foreign Policy
Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been known for its foreign policy embrace of Russia and China, but in recent months, the party has turned its sights on building ties …
Episode 137: Friedrich Merz: Foreign Policy Chancellor
Chancellor Merz has received praise internationally for many German foreign policy and defense initiatives in 2025: suspending the “debt brake” to allow for more security investments, expanding the Bundeswehr, committing …
Episode 135: Reenergizing the German Economy
The German economy is stagnating, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised an autumn of reforms. But are the government’s policies enough to restore competitiveness? Berenberg Chief Economist Holger Schmieding joins …
Episode 134: Europe’s Strategic Dependencies
The dynamics of the transatlantic relationship are changing. As Europe faces the changing policies of the United States toward its alliances, Germany is investing in its armed forces at a …
Episode 133: The SPD and Its Foreign Policy Challenges
The center-left Social Democrats are the junior coalition partner in Friedrich Merz’s government, but they hold two of the most important portfolios for implementing Germany’s security policy revolution known as …
Episode 132: Transatlantic Alliances of the New Right
Ties between far-right parties and movements in Europe and the United States are growing. Annett Meiritz and Juliane Schäuble join this episode of The Zeitgeist to discuss their forthcoming book …
