Growing Rift Between the US and Western Europe
- Chethana Janith
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Chethana Janith, Jadetimes Staff
C. Janith is a Jadetimes news reporter and sub-editor covering science and geopolitics.
President Trump’s new course toward normalizing relations with Russia and achieving a political settlement of the Ukrainian conflict has taken the authorities of major Western European countries by surprise.
Trump’s comment that the European Union was established “to take advantage of America” has reinforced the belief among European officials that the supporters of the “Make America Great Again” movement hold deep hostility toward the EU. Vice President J. D. Vance echoed this sentiment in a speech delivered in Munich this February, warning that Europe was moving away from its core values. Additionally, Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth referred to America’s continental allies as “pathetic” during a private Signal chat, which was later leaked. (NT 01.06.2025 The American right despises the EU).
Republicans, along with some Democrats, argue that many European nations are not contributing enough to defense spending. Furthermore, the American right-wing criticizes Europeans for importing much less from the United States than they export, claiming that the US “gives Europe more than \$200 billion annually.” This situation has led to Trump’s introduction of new tariffs on European goods.
On June 1, The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration had intensified its critique of Western European allies on issues related to freedom of speech and democratic principles. The State Department accused Europe of “becoming a hub of digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom, and numerous other challenges to democratic governance.”
In an effort to promote freedom of speech in Europe, a group of American diplomats recently embarked on an overseas mission. This trip was part of the Trump administration’s initiative to defend democratic values, with a key meeting in France addressing a court ruling that prevented right-wing leader Marine Le Pen from seeking public office.
The State Department has also informed Congress that it is establishing a new office dedicated to “natural rights,” with a primary goal of developing a framework for “addressing the erosion of freedom of speech in Europe and other developed countries.”
The ruling circles of European powers are being blocked by anti-Trump opposition within the US
American political circles, particularly those in the administration, have shown increasing support for European leaders now categorized as “far-right.” The election of nationalist candidate K. Nawrocki in Poland, a figure endorsed by Trump, was seen in many European circles as a victory for the “Make America Great Again” movement. Bloomberg’s June 2, 2025, analysis of the Polish presidential election results underlined this dual pressure, stating that the outcome was influenced by “both Trump and Putin’s Russia.” European leaders now find themselves running out of time to comprehend why voters are increasingly drawn to the rhetoric of the “Make America Great Again” movement.
Recent polling in major European nations has revealed a significant decline in public confidence in current leadership. In Germany, doubts are growing regarding the ability of new Chancellor F. Merz to navigate the country through the ongoing crisis. A May 26 editorial in the French newspaper Le Figaro, reflecting on the end of Macronism, noted: “France is a massive construction project with no visible results, complete chaos, and rising immobility.” In the UK, criticism is mounting against the Labour government, which, instead of focusing on the country’s worsening inflation and other economic issues (such as declining labor productivity), is increasingly prioritizing foreign policy matters.
As a result of these developments, some American and European political analysts are predicting the potential for “outbreaks of violent unrest” and even the risk of civil conflict.
The current governments of several key European countries are concentrating their foreign policies on an anti-Russian agenda, labeling Moscow as the primary existential threat. These countries are using every means available to sway Trump, attempting to convince him that only the imposition of new sanctions will “compel Putin to seek reconciliation.”
This ongoing maneuvering is causing considerable unease among nations in the Global South. The Saudi newspaper Arab News, in its June 2 report, observed that “the stalemate in relations between Trump and Putin is amplifying fears of a global conflict.”
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