Tip Sheets
Trump administration’s shift from European allies could be ‘devastating’
February 27, 2025
Media Contact
Adam Allington
During his first term in office, President Trump described the European Union “as a foe,” established “to hurt the United States on trade.” He repeated the charge at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, as critics express concern with American diplomats appearing to side with Russian interest ahead of peace negotiations with Ukraine.
Thomas Pepinsky
Professor of Government
Tom Pepinsky is a professor of government at Cornell University who studies comparative politics and democratic backsliding.
Pepinsky says:
“The Trump administration’s decisive shift away from its European allies and partners is having a tectonic effect on global politics, and with it the future of American foreign relations. The president’s admiration for Vladimir Putin, and his shocking criticism of Vladimir Zelensky, have convinced European allies that the U.S. is no longer a dependable source of security.
“Asian allies are recalibrating towards what many are calling the era of ‘No World Order.’ Trump’s own statements have generated outrage, but his deeply unpopular Vice President JD Vance and financier Elon Musk have accelerated what promises to be a global rebalancing that favors Russian interests over American and European interests. The future of American power and prominence has not been so uncertain for 150 years.”
Rachel Beatty Riedl
Professor of International Relations and Public Policy
Rachel Beatty Riedl, professor of government and director of Cornell’s Center on Global Democracy, says that despite imperfections and strategic missteps over time, since World War II, the U.S. has played a historic role in establishing and actively upholding a democratic and prosperous alliance of trade and security.
Riedl says:
“As the US disassociates itself with this position, it weakens its own economic and security position in the world: the EU, NATO democracies, and Ukraine make up $35 trillion in GDP purchasing power parity. The US stands at $29 trillion. Combined, they create the most powerful bloc of security, economic productivity and democratic rule of law. This combination supports research and development, contracts, and, ultimately, peace.
“In contrast, China stands at $37 trillion ppp alone, and Russia and Belarus equal $7 trillion. With European democratic allies, US interests are stronger and more secure, but alone the US will face stiff competition and rivalry from all sides. The immediate consequences for economic and security threats are negative, and the long-term implications for democratic rule of law, contract enforcement, and protection of fundamental human rights may be devastating.”
