The bloc is seeking to “Trump proof” its security and trade in hedge against the Republican’s potential return to the office
The European Union is preparing for the possibility of former US President Donald Trump returning to power, according to a report in the Washington Post on Saturday. The report, based on interviews with over a dozen European politicians, diplomats, and policymakers, suggests that the EU has been working to reduce its dependence on the US, regardless of who wins the election. While policymakers express more confidence given their experience with Trump’s first term, they have also developed contingency plans in case the Republican candidate defeats his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
“One thing is clear: We’re not sitting here like a rabbit caught in headlights. Regardless of who wins the US election, the focus of US attention in the future will increasingly be on the Indo-Pacific. Europeans will have to do even more for their security,” German Defense Ministry spokesman Michael Stempfle told the newspaper.
The EU has been exploring options to “Trump proof” its security, as during his first term Trump repeatedly pressured NATO allies to contribute more to collective security and even threatened to withdraw the US from the alliance altogether, leaving European nations to fend for themselves. While this approach was primarily associated with the former president, it is expected to continue with other figures in the White House regardless.
“It is a fact that Joe Biden is probably the last president who is truly transatlantic in the traditional sense – in terms of his character and career,” deputy chair of Germany’s parliamentary committee for foreign affairs Thomas Erndl has said. “That is why Europe must take on more responsibility, especially when it comes to security.”
The EU has also been preparing for a potential new trade war with Trump. During his previous term, he imposed hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, and during his current election campaign, he has repeatedly pledged to escalate these measures.
EU officials have already drawn up lists of retaliatory tariffs to counter any potential moves by Washington and have developed a plan to offer Trump a trade deal targeting allegedly unfair Chinese trade practices instead, according to unnamed EU officials cited in the report.
“I think there’s a sense that we should be better prepared and not think that just because we hope a trade war doesn’t happen, it won’t,” an unnamed EU diplomat has said.