Reuters cited pessimistic data from the report of the German Economic Institute on Monday. They show that the second term of office of Donald Trump and his controversial, often sudden and unexpected decisions have made German investors and exporters cautious. According to data from the Bundesbank, from February to November 2025, German companies invested about 10.2 billion euros ($11.1 billion) in the US, a decline of about 45%. compared to almost EUR 19 billion in the same period of the previous year.
As Samina Sultan, a researcher from the German Economic Institute, told Reuters, this is due to the fact that investors do not have the courage to make long-term decisions.
See also: Germany will not allow itself to be blackmailed. They are preparing a response to Donald Trump
Investors from Germany are suspending decisions regarding the US
According to the authors of the report, companies in Germany are concerned about the change in US trade policy and the threat of additional tariffs. Especially since key decisions are often made almost overnight. “The uncertainty caused by Trump's policy changes is causing companies that usually plan investment decisions for several years to take a 'wait and see' approach,” Samina Sultan tells Reuters.
See also: German industry outraged by Trump's threats. Its representatives turn to the EU
Not only German investments in the US fell, but also exports. Shipments between the two countries decreased by 8.6%. in the period from February to October 2025 compared to the same period a year earlier. According to the report's authors, this is the sharpest decline since 2010, outside the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The export rates of cars and car parts, as well as machinery and chemical products dropped the most. As researchers from the German Economic Institute emphasize, inheritances may have negative consequences for both parties.
