ABNA24 - The world is living through one of the most sensitive periods in international relations, a time when the “Atlantic Alliance” has faced a storm called Trumpism after decades of stability.
Donald Trump’s presidency was more than just a political shift in the U.S.; it was a political earthquake that shook transatlantic relations and ended decades of trust between Washington and Brussels. Trump’s “America First” approach and instrumental view of international treaties forced Europe to face a harsh reality: the United States was no longer a predictable partner or reliable defender of the global order.
Diplomatic and economic confrontations—from threatening to leave NATO to withdrawing unilaterally from international agreements—damaged shared interests and sparked a deep debate about the “identity of the West.” Europe, caught between traditional loyalty and the need for strategic independence, had to rethink its security and political strategies.
“Trump’s America First policy has shaken decades of trust between Europe and the U.S. It has made Europeans question the reliability of the transatlantic alliance,” Robert Kagan, an American foreign policy expert, wrote in Foreign Affairs in 2018.
Is NATO a security umbrella or tool for extortion?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance founded in 1949 for collective defense. According to Article 5, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. NATO was created to counter Soviet influence and focused for decades on maintaining security and stability in Europe and North America.
Trump challenged NATO’s core by questioning Article 5 and calling the alliance “obsolete.” He treated NATO as a protective service that European partners should fully pay for, creating an unprecedented conflict between Washington and capitals like Berlin and Paris. Europeans, who had relied on U.S. security guarantees for decades, suddenly faced a demanding ally. This tension planted the idea of a “unified European army.” Leaders realized they could no longer depend on U.S. election cycles for long-term security and needed local deterrence.
The idea of a unified European army is about creating an independent military force for the EU, reducing reliance on the U.S. and NATO. Supporters, like France, emphasize strategic autonomy and better regional crisis management.
In November 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron famously spoke about the “brain death of NATO”, criticizing the lack of coordination and predictability among allies. “What we are witnessing is the brain death of NATO. Europe must assume its responsibilities in defense and foreign policy,” Macron said, the Economist reported.
However, challenges remain: high costs, disagreements over national sovereignty and command, and concerns about weakening NATO. The 2022 Ukraine war reinforced the need to strengthen Europe’s defense, though the focus remains on international defense cooperation rather than a fully independent army.
US pullout from the Iran nuclear agreement dealt a blow to EU
Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) was also seen by Europe as an insult to its political sovereignty. For the EU, the deal was a major achievement of multilateral diplomacy and a symbol of its independent role in global crises.
By ignoring European allies and imposing secondary sanctions, Trump penalized European companies and violated their economic autonomy. This economic confrontation deepened divisions, prompting Europe to attempt alternatives like INSTEX, a financial mechanism to bypass U.S. sanctions, which ultimately failed. The episode highlighted that Washington, pursuing its aggressive goals, was willing to sacrifice even its closest allies.
An ally becomes an economic adversary
Under the banner of protecting U.S. industries, Trump imposed heavy tariffs on European steel and aluminum, bluntly calling the EU a “trade enemy.” This opened a new front where diplomacy gave way to threats and retaliation. For Europe, built on free trade, America’s behavior was like a declaration of war on the existing economic order.
The trade conflict affected global markets and pushed Europe to diversify trade partners and reduce dependence on the United States. Trump’s transactional logic poisoned transatlantic cooperation, showing that even a longtime ally could become a rival.
Trump’s threat to annex Greenland by force, if necessary, came as a shock to the European Union. Fearing the threat from Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited Germany, France, and Brussels in early August 2019 to rally support after Trump expressed interest in purchasing Greenland.
Vice President J.D. Vance visited Greenland on March 28, 2025, along with then National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Senator Mike Lee. Though Vance claimed that the U.S. does not believe "military force is ever going to be necessary" for taking over Greenland, the Europeans did not believe it.
Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement undermined US global leadership
Europe viewed the U.S. exit from the Paris Climate Agreement as a serious blow to America’s moral and global leadership. The EU, seeing itself as a pioneer in tackling environmental crises, called Trump’s move a “betrayal of international responsibility.” While Europe moved toward green energy and global cooperation, Trump returned to fossil fuels and rejected scientific facts. This ideological clash made Europe oppose the U.S. in many international forums, proving that under Trump, America could no longer lead the Western world and had become an obstacle to solving global challenges.
Trump’s infamous assertion that global warming was a hoax invented by the Chinese to undermine American manufacturing is fresh in the minds of environmentalists around the world.
Just on Thursday (May 21), when the UN voted 141-8 to adopt a resolution backing a world court opinion that countries have a legal obligation to address climate change, the U.S., the world’s biggest historical emitter, opposed it.
The Associated Press reported in February that the Trump administration had been urging other nations to press the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu to withdraw the resolution from consideration.
Europe’s lasting legacy
Perhaps the most important consequence of Trump’s unpredictable policies was the European realization of the need for strategic independence. Addressing the Bundestag in 2019, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, “Europe must take its fate into its own hands. We cannot always rely on others, even longtime allies, to act in our interest.”
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