The visit began in Washington, where Mr. Theis was joined by fellow Bundestag Member and former Transatlantic Coordinator of the Bundesregierung, Peter Beyer for a series of meetings at the U.S. Congress, the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State. They discussed the geopolitical and security challenges facing both the United States and Europe and gained a deeper understanding of current U.S. foreign and security policy priorities. They also joined a conversation with members of the Alexander Hamilton Society on Germany’s role in the future of European leadership and security.
As part of KAS’s outreach efforts outside Washington, Mr. Theis also visited Philadelphia and Boston. In Philadelphia, he engaged with interested members of the public and local representatives from the defense industry to gain a better understanding of how the transatlantic relationship is viewed in a critical swing state such as Pennsylvania. He met with members of the German Society of Pennsylvania and the German American Chamber of Commerce for a discussion on the role of the German American civil society and business community in building lasting transatlantic partnerships.
In Boston, Mr. Theis participated in the European Conference at Harvard University, joining the panel “Rearming Europe: The Dilemma of European Strategic Autonomy,” where he discussed how Germany’s rearmament efforts fit into the broader push to strengthen Europe as a defense and security actor. On the sidelines of the conference, he met with several high level participants, including Luc Frieden, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, as well as KAS scholarship holders.
