On April 14, 2025, the AmerikaHaus NRW, in cooperation with the Freundeskreis Köln-Indianapolis and the Cologne-Indianapolis Sister City Partnership Committee, hosted the virtual panel discussion “Hearing from the Heartland: Indiana Perspectives on Politics, Economy, and Society under Trump 2.0.”

The event featured insights from Congressman Luke Messer, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Andrea Richter-Garry, Indiana-based expert on economic issues and international cooperation; and Suzanne O’Shea, a retired lawyer who contributed a citizen’s perspective. The conversation focused on how Indiana—a “red state” in the American Heartland—is experiencing the political, economic and social shifts of the early months of Donald Trump’s second term.

Luke Messer pointed out that the Trump administration was bringing rare and substantial change to American politics, thus defying the common adage that nothing ever changes in Washington. In a highly partisan environment, the president’s supporters were proud that he was making good on his campaign promises, while people who did not vote for him were shocked at the changes being wrought. He argued that those surprised by recent developments may have overlooked how closely the Trump administration is following through on its campaign platform. From an economic standpoint, Andrea Richter-Garry described mixed outcomes across Indiana’s business landscape. While some manufacturers stood to benefit from protectionist measures, others were grappling with disrupted supply chains and uncertainty surrounding visa policies. She underscored the business community’s need for clear timelines and predictable policymaking. Offering a critical perspective, Suzanne O’Shea pointed to the deepening fear among marginalized groups, particularly LGBTQ individuals and immigrants, who felt increasingly vulnerable under the current administration. She also raised concerns about growing disregard for the judiciary and noted a sharp divide between urban and rural communities. Political conversations, she added, had become so polarized that many people avoided them entirely, even among friends and family – a sentiment shared by Luke Messer. The former Congressman also posited that politics was not top of mind for a majority of Americans. If, however, the economy went down with concrete effects on people’s pocketbooks, there would be a political price to pay.

Despite differing assessments, the panelists agreed on the importance of civic engagement and civil discourse. They also reminded the audience that the United States is not a monolith and recommended that we keep an open dialogue across the Atlantic, especially at the subnational level.

We thank our speakers and partners for their valuable contributions to this timely transatlantic exchange, which was kindly supported by the Federal Foreign Office.