Can Europe Ever Trust the United States Again?

The Trump administration has repeatedly signaled its rejection of the values that have long underpinned EU-U.S. relations.

Rosa Balfour, Jan Techau, and Nathalie Tocci ask whether Brussels must now chart its own course.

Carnegie Europe will be addressing the toughest questions facing the EU in its new project “Europe Head-to-Head.” Follow our work for insights and discussions shaping the continent's future.

[00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:29] Is Europe Able to Divorce From the United States?, [00:16:15] Europe’s Military Industrial Complex, [00:19:42] Europe’s Competitiveness and Lack of Trust, [00:33:25] Is Trumpism a Structural Trend?, [00:46:26] The Future of EU-U.S. Relations.

Jan Techau, Nathalie Tocci, January 7, 2026, “Can Europe Trust the United States Again?,” Carnegie Europe.

Rosa Balfour, January 6, 2026, “The Cost of Europe’s Weak Venezuela Response,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.

Rosa Balfour, September 22, 2025, “The European Radical Right in the Age of Trump 2.0,” Carnegie Europe.

Rosa Balfour, April 30, 2025, “Europe Tried to Trump-Proof Itself. Now It’s Crafting a Plan B.,” Emissary, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Jan Techau, September 2025, “The Future of European Integration: A Threshold Moment of Hope,” Horizons Summer 2025, Issue No. 31, Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development.

Nathalie Tocci, January 13, 2026, “Breaking with a toxic partner: Why Trumpism may actually benefit Europe in the long run,” The Insider.

Nathalie Tocci, January 11, 2026, “Europe on high alert in the face of Trump’s strategic onslaught,” El País.

Nathalie Tocci, December 12, 2025, “How Europe Lost,” Foreign Affairs.

Nathalie Tocci, December 10, 2025, “Salvaging Global Order in the Post-American Era,” BKHS Magazine.

Nathalie Tocci, December 5, 2025, “Does Europe Finally Realize It’s Alone?,” Foreign Policy.