Recent weeks have not been reassuring for those who thought Europe could smoothly overcome its strained relations with U.S. President Donald Trump.
This week, Donald Trump targeted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after his criticisms of the war in Iran, calling him “totally ineffective” and threatening to withdraw the 36,400 American troops stationed in Germany. Ultimately, 5,000 troops could be affected by these withdrawals if they were to materialize.
The American president also targeted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in March on a very personal level, lamenting that he is “not Winston Churchill” and wielding the threat of “huge tariffs” on imports from the UK.
Even more concerning for Europeans, the U.S. Department of Defense has mentioned punitive measures against NATO allies deemed insufficiently supportive of American operations in the war against Iran, including the suspension of Spain from the Alliance and a review of American recognition of the Falkland Islands as British territory.
“It is destabilizing to say the least,” confided a European diplomat to Reuters under the condition of anonymity. “We are preparing for everything, at all times.”
These recent American attacks, fueled by disagreements over the war in Iran, seem to bring U.S.-Europe relations back to the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term and revive questions about the best way to deal with this unpredictable ally.
A second European diplomat believes that former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose relationship with Donald Trump was frosty during his first term, had shown the right approach.
“We all learned a bit how to handle Trump. You shouldn’t react immediately; you should let the storm pass while firmly standing by your positions,” he said.
Even those who attempted flattery faced the president’s wrath, he added. “Everyone who tried to flatter received their share of insults, like the others. Everyone now understands that flattery doesn’t work either.”
Opposition within Europe to Donald Trump’s policies has become more pronounced, with European allies openly opposing them, under pressure from their public opinions.
“Friedrich Merz has become increasingly explicit in his criticism of the American decision to go to war with Iran,” explained Jeffrey Rathke, former American diplomat and director of the American-German Institute at Johns Hopkins University. “It is quite clear that something has changed in someone who, just two months ago, took care to say: ‘It is not for us to give lessons to the United States.'”
European diplomats assert their commitment to transatlantic ties, even as the “tectonic plates” between Europe and the United States are shifting and requiring adjustments.
“For us, the main lesson is that we can no longer rely on the post-war status quo and that we must not only be a space of ‘soft power’ but also a space backed by power,” said a Western diplomat under anonymity, emphasizing that Europeans are moving quickly to strengthen their military capabilities.
