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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder.
Top Trump administration officials are sharply criticizing Germany
for classifying the Alternative for Germany party as right-wing extremist.
paving the way for state surveillance of the party.
Vice President J.D.
Vance is accusing Germany of rebuilding the Berlin Wall,
and Secretary of State Marco Rubio says it's tyranny in disguise.
From Berlin, NPR's Rob Schmitz reports on Germany's decision.
The new classification announced by Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is a step up in severity from its former classification of the Alternative for Germany,
or AFD party, as a suspected right-wing extremist party.
It's one that gives domestic intelligence permission to observe AFD meetings,
tap party members' telephones,
and recruit informants to gather information about the party on the national level.
The party's associations in three German states,
all located in the east, had previously been assessed with this category.