Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Ivo Daalder, characterizes the Trump administration as a "one-man operation" rather than a functioning government. He argues that under Trump, the transatlantic bond forged after World War II has been broken, leading to widespread distrust among Europeans. Only 11% of European publics now consider the United States an ally, signaling a significant deterioration in relations.
Daalder highlights specific instances of this strained relationship, such as a European country refusing the use of its U.S. bases for a military operation — a first in NATO's 80-year history. He criticizes Trump's approach to Iran as "one of the dumbest things America has done since World War II" and an "incredible blunder." Daalder also notes that Trump's comments regarding NATO are unlikely to motivate allies to deploy forces against Iran.
Furthermore, Daalder suggests that Iran holds significant leverage in negotiations, particularly with its ability to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz. He advises European leaders to largely disregard Trump's pronouncements on Truth Social, viewing them as nonsensical. He also warns against Trump's coercive diplomacy, which threatens to withdraw troops from Europe in exchange for technological agreements, asserting that these troops are for European security, not bargaining chips.
Daalder urges Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security, advocating for the "Europeanization of NATO" rather than creating a separate European army. He believes Europe should strengthen its role within the existing alliance and establish clear "red lines" on issues like involving Europe in an "illegal war against Iran." This approach, he contends, would reduce Europe's dependence on the U.S. while keeping the door open for a more balanced partnership post-Trump.
He also points out that big tech companies have essentially overtaken the U.S. government, which is problematic for the ongoing technological revolution. Daalder explicitly advises European countries like the Netherlands to resist U.S. pressure regarding critical technology companies like ASML and the digital identity system DigiD, stating that such control makes sense from a U.S. perspective but not from a Dutch or European one.
