According to investigations by WDR, NDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), the arrest of former BND President August Hanning triggered a significant warning from US intelligence services. Sources within government circles indicate that shortly after Hanning's detention, the BND received a message stating that while they remain an important partner, their existing cooperation is now subject to review. This development caused considerable alarm within the German agency, given its long-standing dependence on information flows from the United States.
The warning reportedly specified that in urgent cases, such as potential terrorist attacks, the US would continue to share intelligence. However, the broader implication of a reduced information flow was viewed by BND leadership as a potential disaster. Consequently, senior officials were instructed to immediately report any changes in the exchange with American counterparts. Despite these concerns, security circles in Berlin currently state that the collaboration remains in a normal state, noting that only a few working meetings have been postponed and subsequently rescheduled.
Contradicting official statements, several employees reported to the investigating media outlets that the volume and quality of information received from US services have declined. They described this reduction as more significant than the drop observed following the 2022 case involving former BND section head Carsten L., who was arrested on suspicion of selling secrets to Russia. A BND spokesperson declined to comment on cooperation with US agencies, and the US Embassy provided no information.
The arrest of Hanning and his former office manager, Manfred D., stems from allegations that over a period of roughly twelve years, they accessed sensitive documents. Prosecutors accuse Hanning of attempting to pass secret information to foreign entities in at least one instance. The charges include attempted high treason, espionage of state secrets, and intelligence agent activity. Hanning's defense attorney has rejected these accusations, calling claims that he paid for confidential documents nonsense.
Investigators are still determining the full scope of the affair, including whether Hanning passed information to more foreign agents than currently known under the guise of commercial security consulting. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has secured hundreds of additional documents from Hanning for analysis and is currently interviewing witnesses. Simultaneously, an internal BND investigation aims to clarify how the alleged breach occurred.
A key focus of the inquiry is why the BND approved a paid secondary job for Manfred D. over several years. Reports suggest D. described this side work as office tasks for Hanning, potentially legitimizing payments on paper. D., who began his career in the 1990s and served as a personal assistant to four presidents until autumn 2025, held a special status due to his proximity to leadership. Internal security groups now suspect D. smuggled documents out of the agency in paper form and communicated with Hanning via email from within the BND. These communication methods were reportedly flagged years ago to the BND's data protection officer but apparently had no consequences at the time.
Other German security agencies, including the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), report that their cooperation with US partners continues unchanged. Similarly, intelligence exchanges between the US military, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the German Armed Forces are said to remain unaffected.
Sources: Tagesschau.