In Germany, perceptions of the election campaign in the United States are largely being shaped by the occasionally alarming statements made by Donald Trump. In my opinion, Trump is nothing more than a counter-reaction to the political correctness that has hindered free political debate in the United States, and elsewhere, for years, if not decades. One reason for Trump's success is that he doesn't care if he uses language deemed taboo by proponents of political correctness. Many view this as liberating, particularly those for whom political correctness, invented by left-wing intellectuals, has long been a source of annoyance. Unfortunately, Trump doesn't really care about humane of libertarian values either. His repeated calls for a strict ban on Muslims entering the United States are what appear in the media most often. His thinly veiled justification of torture has also drawn a great deal of attention.