US President Donald Trump has done more to strain the US-Europe alliance than any other leader in its 75-year history. Recent events have sparked concerns that America may no longer be a reliable guarantor of European security.
At the Munich Security Conference, Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech was seen as a blatant attempt at political meddling, as Germany prepares for a nationwide vote on far-right parties. Vance defended the Alternative for Germany party, which is considered Nazi-like, and even met with its leader. Trump later praised the speech, saying it was “brilliant.”
The situation has worsened since Vance’s comments, with Trump announcing plans to discuss Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin without Ukrainian participation. This move has led to an emergency meeting of European leaders to discuss measures for independent European defense.
Despite concerns about Trump’s commitment to the alliance, some positive outcomes may emerge from his visit. European nations are already spending more on defense due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and many will exceed the NATO goal of 2% of their GDP.
However, Europe lacks the military strength and resources to defend itself without US support. The absence of American leadership in this regard could have severe consequences for Ukrainian security.
The chaos surrounding Trump’s presidency has also raised concerns about his ability to lead the country effectively. Professor Lawrence Freedman notes that the current era is different from previous moments of trans-Atlantic tension due to the ideological and domestic dimension of US politics.
Source: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/02/trump-news-europe-jd-vance-pete-hegseth-ukraine-russia-putin.html