Kenneth Glad
Lasting partnerships rarely break apart overnight. The cracks usually form slowly under the surface, growing quietly for years before a sudden shock shatters the foundation entirely. That familiar pattern is now playing out on the global stage.
Donald Trump shook the global order when he reclaimed the White House in 2025. Since then, many critics have blamed him alone for the fractured relationship between the United States and Europe.
But the roots of this crisis run much deeper. According to a new report from Danish science outlet Videnskab, the transatlantic foundation started crumbling long before the current administration took charge.
The recent American military threats toward Greenland and the tense standoff with Ukraine highlight a chronic disease. In his new book “Collapse of the Alliance”, researcher Rasmus Sinding Søndergaard argues that Europe can no longer depend on old friends.
Looking another way
For decades after the Second World War, Europe sat firmly at the center of American foreign policy. Washington offered military protection, maintaining a permanent presence to prevent any single rival from dominating the continent. In return, European leaders accepted American guidance without much fuss.
That old arrangement is completely dead today. American strategic interests have drifted toward Asia, placing a heavy new focus on China.
This quiet pivot started long ago. Back home, US voters are increasingly questioning their traditional role as the leaders of a rules-based global order. This shift will likely continue regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, leaving Europe alone to figure out its own defense strategies.
Wars and wealth
Unresolved arguments have poisoned the alliance for decades. American presidents have constantly pushed European nations to spend more cash on their own militaries. This relentless bickering over NATO budgets slowly eroded mutual trust.
Military adventures only made things worse. Back in 2003, key European allies like France and Germany flatly refused to support the American invasion of Iraq. That split exposed a massive cultural divide regarding the use of armed force.
History repeated itself during the 2026 Iran War. European capitals now have zero appetite for following American troops into another messy Middle Eastern conflict. They prefer diplomatic solutions through international institutions, while Washington increasingly attacks those exact same global bodies.
Time for a change
NATO still exists on paper. Formal treaties remain intact, and everyday trade continues to flow freely across the Atlantic Ocean. But these surviving structures mask a deeper decay.
What has actually collapsed is the underlying political understanding that kept everything together since 1945. American patience with footing the defense bill has finally run dry, while European faith in Washington as a reliable protector has completely vanished.
Søndergaard points out that the old asymmetric alliance cannot be saved. The genie is out of the bottle. Instead, Europe must build a new, equal partnership based on pragmatic interests rather than automatic loyalty.
This historic shift will require massive military investments, a united front, and tough political choices across the entire continent.
