Trump Ally Grenell Calls for U.S. Visa Revocation of German Journalist

September 19, 2025 – USA/Germany – 

Richard Grenell, former U.S. ambassador to Germany and ally of Donald Trump, has demanded that Elmar Thevessen, head of ZDF’s Washington studio, have his U.S. visa revoked over what Grenell describes as Thevessen’s “repeated calls for violence” and alleged rhetoric likened to extremist ideology. The request has sparked concern among media freedom advocates in both Germany and the United States.

According to Gazeta Express, Grenell labelled Thevessen a “left-wing radical” and asserted that Thevessen’s coverage crossed acceptable boundaries. ZDF defended its journalist, stating that his work is protected under press freedom laws in Germany and the U.S.

The German Journalists’ Association (Deutscher Journalistenverband, DJV) also protested Grenell’s demand, with Chairman Mika Beuster insisting that coercive state measures like visa revocation have no place in liberal democracies when journalists operate within the bounds of free expression. The DJV has formally appealed to the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, urging a halt to such threats.

Grenell’s demand appears amid broader policy shifts toward restricting foreign journalists in the U.S. Late in August 2025, the government proposed curtailing journalist visas: instead of current durations of up to five years, visas would be limited to 240 days generally; for journalists from China, the limit would be just 90 days. Critics warn that these tighter rules, paired with threats like Grenell’s, could chill foreign media coverage and diminish press freedoms.

Observers say this case comes at a sensitive time, as debates intensify in the U.S. over balancing national security concerns with freedom of speech and protection for the press. Thevessen’s affiliation with ZDF, one of Germany’s largest public broadcasters, adds diplomatic weight. Critics argue that threatening a journalist with visa loss over commentary sets a dangerous precedent that could encourage retaliation against foreign journalists and erode democratic norms.

Reference – 

https://www.dw.com/en/trump-ally-grenell-threatens-german-journalist-with-visa-withdrawal/a-74044326

https://www.gazetaexpress.com/en/grenell-kerkon-revokimin-e-vizes-per-nje-gazetar-gjerman/

https://telegrafi.com/en/Grenell-demands-revocation-of-visa-for-German-journalist/