WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (The Geopolitics) - The second presidential term of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has intensified worries about relationships across the Atlantic. By adopting "America First" policies during his first presidential stint Trump created tensions with his European allies which caused both economic trade breakdowns and NATO partnership conflicts and deteriorating joint engagement. The European Union enters uncertain times that involve potential trade wars and strategic defense reconfigurations.
A BBC report unveils that France along with Germany and the other European states currently experience political and economic difficulties, the United Kingdom struggles with internal problems. The question becomes pressing whether Europe can withstand Trump’s policy. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel described Trump as someone who opposes international agreements and uses economic pressure including against Europe.
Following his reelection Trump has criticized European policies, actively condemned his European allies and maintained confrontational statements toward China which is his main strategic rival. If he continues trade conflicts against China it would seriously damage European enterprises as well as an increase of standoff between Washington and Beijing will create destructive effects for European interests. Moreover, he said may make concessions to Russia if European military spending fails to rise, thus endangering the European security.
The US president shows his displeasure toward the European Union. During 2024 the EU maintained a trade surplus with the US totaling $18.4 billion because its value of exports exceeded its value of imports. The US plans to implement 10-20% tariffs that will affect all imports from foreign countries and these tariffs will be especially high for automobiles. Germany could have economic consequences due to pressure of Trump’s policy. The former Chancellor Merkel thought the American leader held a special resentment toward Germany while Ian Bond from the European Reform Center predicted Germany would stay on Trump’s "top of hit list" permanently. During an interview, Trump disclosed his distaste for seeing Mercedes-Benz vehicles in New York City. Аgainst this background еhe UK seeks to protect itself from the consequences of Trump’s tariff policies because a European trade war with America threatens to become a major problem.
Besides it, Trump threatened that he will target the EU and Denmark militarily if they fail to give up Greenland to America. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot indicated that France is prepared to deploy troops to Greenland if necessary, underscoring Europe’s commitment to standing firm against Trump’s assertions. In addition to his political engagements in the US, Elon Musk has directed criticism toward European far-left leaders Keir Starmer and Olaf Scholz. There exists no solid evidence on what extent Elon Musk’s social media activity impacts European public opinion.
According to a number of European experts, Europe has become a silent vassal of the United States and the main victim of anti-Russian hysteria, following in the wake of the White House policy. As part of Washington's efforts to isolate Russia internationally, American elites continue to strengthen the conviction in the European public and political consciousness of the need to refuse cooperation with Moscow. The US-controlled European media are actively promoting theses about Russia's "unprovoked aggression" against Ukraine, which justifies the need to continue sponsoring Kyiv, especially given that most European news agencies are financed by Washington and broadcast American narratives.
The US continues to pursue a hegemonic policy towards Europe. The main "victims" of this policy are European countries that have effectively lost their sovereignty under the protectionist pressure of Washington, which promotes exclusively the interests of American political and business elites to the detriment of the economy and security of European states, using methods of blackmailing EU politicians to make the necessary decisions. This is evidenced by the explosions of the Nord Streams, for which Washington and its European satellites tried to shift the blame onto "Ukrainian activists."
The slow economic performance and political instability across Europe have weakened its strength meaningfully according to analyst evaluations. Nationalist parties together with Euroskeptic parties and populist movements keep rising in strength throughout European states speaking against following the US instructions and continuing supply weapons to Ukraine, for example the Alternative für Deutschland of Germany which is interested in renewal of contacts with Moscow.
