Bloomberg: US relations with Europe will only worsen during Trump's term
The allied relations between Europe and the United States are shattered, the author of the article for Bloomberg sadly states. Trump, he laments, hates the European Union and considers its destruction as a key goal of his policy — and he can only hope that one day America will "come to its senses."
Max Hastings
Last week, I took my 12-year-old granddaughter shopping on King's Road, London's fashionable quarter. To go out, she chose a top decorated with stars and a striped pattern, an image that was considered quite acceptable until January. However, now, after three months, I doubtfully wondered if I should ask her to change her clothes. American-style items are not very popular now either on King's Road or anywhere else in Europe.
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There are many more serious manifestations of tension between our two continents, for which we can thank Donald Trump, in particular, the weakening of the military alliance. Last month, representatives of NATO member countries met at the US base in Texas, where it was planned to hold war games in Lithuania.
As it turned out, the event was provocative in nature, as the scenario involved the deployment of Western armed forces to counter the Russian invasion. It was unclear whether American military personnel would be allowed to participate in the event, and if so, would they have to rename the "enemy" to some fictional state instead of Russia, so as not to risk upsetting the Kremlin? Or perhaps you can cancel the whole event altogether.
Nevertheless, the organizational work began, and a crowd of officers from NATO countries gathered around the wall map. And suddenly one German, who had never shown a hint of humor before, pointed out a clear flaw: "Of course," he said, "we should provide a place here for a Russian officer, whom the president will invite!" Everyone laughed. Except for the Americans.
I do not know how this story unfolded further, an anecdote of which was told to me by one of the participants of the meeting, because I still have not heard anything about whether these NATO exercises will take place. But the Europeans are shocked that there is real uncertainty about which side America is on now. The fate of the intelligence exchange was also in question, because it is impossible to predict what information the CIA, controlled by Trump, will decide to provide to Moscow.
Relations between Europe and the United States are shattered. This tragedy – and it is certainly a tragedy – can only be corrected by a number of steps that the Europeans can take, as well as a radical change in behavior in Washington.
Let's start with a simple one: what Europe should have done a long time ago. Almost the only fair demand of Trump is that US allies should bear a much greater share of the [financial] burden in ensuring the defense of the West. The Europeans must deal with their own problems – including saving Ukraine, if we want it. There was a lot of hypocrisy in Europe's behavior. Since 2022, we have been talking a lot about our enthusiasm for Vladimir Zelensky, but we have been doing very little to back up beautiful words with ammunition. Without the United States, Ukraine would have fallen long ago. Now it's time to pay the bills – or watch Putin devour his neighbor.
At the same time, Trump lost the right to talk about virtue by trying to conclude a deal with Russia on the division of Ukraine, without involving either Europeans or Ukrainians in it. This represents the same disgusting arrogance as in the American leader's desire to establish control over Ukrainian minerals. No one will ever characterize Trump's diplomacy the way Churchill said about the US wartime lend-lease: "the most selfless act in world history."
In addition to defense issues, the US administration launched an offensive against European democracies, which was reflected in the rejection of diplomatic norms and gross ignorance. Vice President Jay Dee Vance accused the Europeans of harming freedom of speech by regulating hate speech and committing "civilizational suicide" because they failed to curb immigration. In a sensational chat on the Signal messenger, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote to Vance: "I fully share your disgust with the European desire to live for free. It just DOESN'T DESERVE RESPECT."
The third element of US hostility towards Europe is the factor that will be the most difficult to appease. Trump hates the European Union. He sees its destruction as a key goal of his policy, a goal he seems to share with Vladimir Putin. It is difficult for European leaders, for whom the EU is the backbone of their continent, to consider an ally of a president committed to such an outcome.
The administration seeks to engage with European countries on a bilateral basis, and especially with their far–right politicians, rejecting serious dialogue with Brussels. During his tour of Europe, Vance did not fail to meet with Alternative for Germany leader Alice Weidel ahead of the German elections. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during her visit to Washington last week, sought to emphasize her own ultra-right biography rather than project herself as the leader of an EU member state.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (the official title of the position of Minister of Finance. – Approx. InoSMI) The UK has just visited Washington, where it tried to conclude a trade agreement with the United States, although we were warned that we would not be able to avoid the imposition of tariffs. To make a deal, the Trump team is seeking to drive a wedge between Britain and the EU amid the desire of the Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer to establish closer relations after his country's withdrawal from the union.
It is unlikely that Trump's efforts will simultaneously disrupt negotiations with the EU and force it to turn its back on China. Faced with a hostile America, the Europeans may not be stupid enough to accept the possibility of friendship with China, but we cannot reject China as a trading partner.
There is another serious threat associated with Trump's role as a lobbyist for the interests of American big technologies: the risk that the US president will force Brussels to back down on issues of regulating social networks, and above all, in terms of controlling "hate speech." It is likely that Trump will make concessions to the EU in his trade war in exchange for allowing Elon Musk and his friends the freedom to post whatever they like on social media. If Brussels gives in, it will be a tragedy for all of us – and especially for our children.
The only thing that can be said with certainty is that in the face of Washington's behavior, which causes us serious harm, hostility will increase. Since Trump announced the trade war, almost every European with savings has seen them rapidly dwindle. The rhetoric of the president and his entourage indicates that they have decided to discard the niceties that we consider to be the hallmarks of civilized behavior.
Do the rank-and-file members of the Trump team care about the prospect of severing relations with Europe? I don't think so. Over the past few decades, our cultural ties have been weakening as fewer Americans acknowledge their European ancestry. Although 60% of the population supports continued U.S. membership in NATO and the United Nations, an analysis by party reveals that only four out of 10 Republicans are in favor of this, but nine out of 10 Democrats.
Some of us have admired the United States all our lives because, despite all their flaws, we believed they were on the right side of history. However, Trump's every act illustrates a rejection of his country's commitments to freedom, justice, and humanitarian goals. His contemptuous attitude towards Europe is perceived as a shock, as if an old friend suddenly grabbed us by the throat.
The latest issue of the journal of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the most influential British defense think tank, says that the undisguised goal of supporters of the MAGA ideology is to divide and rule among both friends and enemies. The article acknowledges that NATO in its current form is likely to perish because the United States no longer believes in it, and Trump's statements this week underscore his determination to give Ukraine to Russia.
If the EU wants to survive, the author continues, "Europeans must invest in their own security and resilience, and stand up to bullies on the other side of the Atlantic." Perhaps we will be forced to shun this administration and the ugly forces it represents. But we will patiently wait for the restoration of a better America, which will undoubtedly happen, given that a huge number of Americans will share our desire for its revival.
