United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly criticized the German government on Friday for labeling the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a right-wing extremist group. The classification, made by Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), grants authorities increased powers to monitor the party and its activities.

"Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That's not democracy—it's tyranny in disguise," Rubio stated in a post on X. He defended the AfD, which recently secured second place in national elections, and pointed to what he described as the true extremism: the German establishment's "deadly open border immigration policies," which the AfD opposes. Rubio called on the German government to reverse its course immediately.

The backlash comes amid growing political tension in Germany. Lars Klingbeil, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), confirmed earlier in the day that the federal government is considering initiating proceedings to ban the AfD outright. This move could mark a significant escalation in the political conflict surrounding the party's rising influence.

Adding to the international response, tech billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on the situation, describing any potential move to ban the AfD as an "extreme attack on democracy." Musk referred to the AfD as a "centrist" and the "most popular party," indicating concern that such actions could undermine democratic principles.

The controversy highlights the growing divide over the AfD's role in German politics and raises questions about democratic norms, state surveillance, and freedom of political opposition in one of Europe’s leading democracies.