The Trump administration has cemented its profound contempt for European elites through a new tough national security strategy, launched in recent days, positioning the continent at a crucial “strategic crossroads” and signaling a potential withdrawal of the US from its role as guarantor of security in Europe, after World War II, writes The New York Times.
President Trump has never been the type to change his mind about Europe, calling his allies “parasites” who pay too little for defense and denouncing the EU as an organization “designed to harm the United States”. Now, this rhetoric has become official policy.
The document calls for European countries to take the “primary responsibility” for their own security, effectively ending comprehensive American protection. It criticizes the EU for stifling “political freedom”, warns that some NATO members could become “predominantly non-European” and explicitly calls on the United States to get involved in supporting “European patriotic parties” – a euphemism for the rising far-right factions of the bloc.
This unfiltered plan of the White House, inscribed with the presidential seal, deals a major blow to transatlantic unity. For 80 years, the United States has defended Europe from threats, but now faces open ridicule from their long-term partner, the USA.
“It’s right there, on the White House website, for the world to see”, said Charles A. Kupchan, former director of the National Security Council for Europe during Obama’s tenure and now a professor at Georgetown University. “It’s very hard to digest.”
The timing could not be more ominous
The timing could not be more ominous: just a few days after Russia threatened war with Europe. Do we cling to an unstable America despite criticism or do we move towards self-sufficiency? “Is this the wake-up call for Europe?”, asked Natalie Tocci, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and strategic advisor to the EU.
Anticipating this, Europe has bolstered its defense: defense budgets are growing, cross-border military agreements are multiplying, and countries like Germany have just approved a nearly 50% increase in troop numbers. The EU has even appointed a defense commissioner to boost weapons production. But without a unified force, advanced technology, and stocks, the continent remains tied to an American administration that openly despises it.
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