Despite (or because of) Donald Trump’s various campaign statements, it is hard to
predict confidently what path his administration will take in a wide range of foreignpolicy
areas. It is however possible to identify key issues and challenges in EU-US
relations during his presidency. This briefing provides an overview of issues where US
policy may change sharply during the next four years and what this may mean for the
EU. Less interventionism, less commitment to NATO and a retreat from trade
liberalization could be central to Trump’s presidency. Transatlantic relations would be
affected by US actions such as rapprochement with Russia and a softer line on the
Ukraine conflict, alignment with Assad and Putin in Syria, extreme counterterrorism
measures, abandoning the Iran nuclear deal, and unconditional support for Israel.
Confrontation with China over trade and regional security, and reversal of
environmental policies will also have repercussions for the EU. In order to mitigate all
these risks, the EU must at least entrench existing cooperation with the US before
trying to enhance it. It can do so by reaffirming European unity and solving threats to
its integration, by becoming a better security “producer” and by “thickening”
interparliamentary exchanges.