EDITOR'S CORNER: Is Trump Really Trying to Undermine Europe?

The idea that the United States—especially under Donald Trump—wants to weaken Europe might sound like some kind of conspiracy theory at first. But when you zoom out and look at the bigger picture—global power dynamics, long-term strategy, and America’s past behavior across different administrations—it starts to feel a little less far-fetched.

Now, to be clear, there’s no official U.S. policy that says “let’s take down the EU.” But, if you’ve been following recent events, like JD Vance’s comments in the Signal app mess or Trump’s famously wild remark that “the European Union was made to ruin America,” you can’t help but notice the tension.

In this post, we’ll dig into some key areas where those tensions show up, and why it feels like Trump has it out for European unity.

 GEOPOLITICAL FOLLOWERS, NOT PARTNERS

Let’s start with the basics: international relations are competitive by nature. Countries don’t operate on friendship—they operate on interest. Even close allies like the U.S. and EU have their fair share of disagreements and rivalries. But under Trump, what used to be a little healthy competition has started to feel more like open hostility.

The U.S. and the EU are two of the biggest players in global trade and influence. They often bump heads in areas like diplomacy, defense, and economics. Under Trump, the idea of a strong, unified Europe seems to be viewed not as a partner, but as a threat. That’s a major shift from past administrations, where competition was managed behind the scenes. Back then, there was more trust—especially with leaders like Obama or Biden. But with Trump, there’s a more aggressive push to challenge Europe’s strength and cohesion, sometimes openly.

Just look at his obsession with tariffs or the bizarre suggestion of buying Greenland—both of which reflect a deeper disdain and strategic move to shake up alliances.

ECONOMIC RIVALRY ON FULL DISPLAY

We already touched on this, but let’s go a bit deeper. The EU is a massive economic powerhouse. It goes toe-to-toe with the U.S. in trade, tech, and regulation. Over the years, we’ve seen disputes like the Airbus vs. Boeing subsidies and European crackdowns on American tech giants. Those tensions have only escalated.

Take Elon Musk and X, for example—accused of interfering in elections in places like Romania and Germany. That’s just one piece of the larger puzzle.

Trump’s trade policies have always been aggressive, not just with Europe but with almost everyone. His tariffs and pressure tactics are designed to favor American companies by making it harder for them to import European goods. But Europe’s not just sitting back—there are strong retaliatory tariffs in the pipeline. This could turn into a full-blown trade war if it keeps up.

NATO AND MILITARY DEPENDENCE: THE ETERNAL ARGUMENT

This one’s been simmering for years. The U.S. has always pushed NATO allies to spend more on defense—Obama started the 2% of GDP push, and Trump turned it up to max. Now, he’s calling for an eye-popping 5% from NATO members and even threatening to let Russia invade countries that “don’t pay up.” Yeah, seriously!

But here’s the irony: for decades, the U.S. wanted Europe to rely on it for defense. When the EU floated the idea of building its own army, America quickly shut that down. Why? Because having Europe dependent meant the U.S. could maintain control over foreign policy and keep its leadership role in the West.

Trump seems to miss that nuance. His tough talk might actually push Europe to finally build independent defense systems—which could shift global power in unexpected ways.

IS TRUMP PLAYING A DIVIDE-AND-CONQUER GAME?

There’s growing speculation that Trump’s real goal is to divide the EU and deal with countries one-on-one instead of as a unified bloc. It’s easier to negotiate with smaller players than a strong collective bloc. And when you see the U.S. cozying up to certain right-wing European governments while ignoring EU institutions, the pattern becomes pretty clear.

Whether this is an intentional “divide and rule” strategy or just the natural fallout of Trump’s worldview, the result is the same: a more fractured Europe.

And remember—Trump’s openly said that the EU was created to “screw over” the U.S. That kind of rhetoric isn’t just shocking; it’s dangerous.

STILL SOME SHARED INTERESTS (FOR NOW)

Despite all the drama, the U.S. and EU still need each other. Whether it’s dealing with China, climate change, or maintaining a global order that (sort of) works, their cooperation is crucial. If Europe gets too weak, it doesn’t just hurt the EU—it hurts America’s ability to lead globally.

That’s why even Trump’s most self-serving policies have to be looked at in the context of this delicate balance between national interest and global partnerships.

CONCLUSION

So, does the U.S. under Trump want to weaken Europe? It’s not black and white. There’s no secret memo that says “break up the EU.” But when you line up the policies, the comments, and the strategy, it’s easy to see why people feel that way.

Geopolitics is messy. There’s economic competition, military tensions, and strategic maneuvering happening all the time. While the U.S. and Europe are still allies on paper, the relationship is going through a rough patch. Understanding that means looking beyond the headlines and into the deeper motivations behind each move.