Europe’s Concern Over Trump’s Economic War
Europe’s Concern Over Trump’s Economic War
It might not be far-fetched to say that the European Union is upset and dissatisfied with Trump’s victory and his entry into the White House, and therefore, the relations between the European Union and the United States during Donald Trump’s second term will face numerous challenges.
Trump, by adopting strict trade policies and increasing import tariffs on European goods, will create significant dissatisfaction among the member states of the European Union against America’s approaches on the international stage.
These policies, which have a direct impact on Europe’s economy, lead to increased political and diplomatic tensions between the parties.
In addition to economic issues, Donald Trump’s policies regarding international agreements have also caused concern among European leaders.
The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change and the reduction of U.S. commitments in NATO are among the decisions that make the relations between the two sides cooler.
In the security and military domain, the U.S. under President Trump and his team strongly emphasize withdrawing Washington from regions that no longer hold the same geostrategic and geoeconomic importance as before, such as Europe and Western Asia.
It is worth mentioning that this group, which belongs to the isolationists in U.S. foreign policy, is serious about maintaining and enhancing Washington’s military and security presence in the Pacific and East Asia for a potential confrontation with China.
Trump’s undiplomatic interaction with Zelensky at the White House, forcing Kyiv to make peace with Moscow and end the war, confirms this military and security shift in America’s doctrine on the international relations stage.
These decisions and Washington’s new approaches in foreign and military policy, which have led to a historical rift across the Atlantic, prompt the European Union to seek more independent solutions for its security and environmental issues.
Therefore, supporters of the idea of a unified and independent European Union army are more intensely demanding the realization of this matter.
Undoubtedly, President Macron is one of the most important supporters of this idea, to the extent that he alluded to this topic in his first meeting with Trump at the White House.
In the realm of diplomatic relations, Trump, by emphasizing the America First policy, sometimes goes beyond traditional collaborations and sidelines European countries.
This policy reduces Europe’s trust in America’s commitments to its traditional allies.
As a result, the European Union seeks to strengthen intra-regional cooperation and solidify its alliances with Asian countries and other economic powers, the most important of which is China.
In the future, these relations might face even more challenges, and the European Union will likely try to reduce its dependency on the U.S. in military, security, and economic areas.
This could lead to increased cooperation between Europe and other powers, including China, Iran, and Russia, who are seeking to change the current international order.
Additionally, the European Union might adopt new trade policies that help protect its economic interests against America’s protectionist policies.
Among these actions could be the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on American goods.
However, the deep economic and cultural ties between the U.S. and the European Union are likely to prevent a complete severance of their relations.
Despite all the mentioned differences, both sides will still need to cooperate on key global issues such as combating terrorism, global trade, and technological development.
As a result, although Trump’s second term complicates the situation, the relations between the U.S. and the European Union will not be completely severed and will likely continue with new approaches.