The bond between Europe and the United States defines the idea of the “West.” For the past century, many developments in global politics and economics have stemmed from connections between the two sides of the Atlantic, giving rise to the term “Atlanticism.”
“Atlanticism” exists not just as a political term, but also as a cultural and philosophical term for understanding history. Now, Atlanticism’s foundation is decaying rapidly.
The United States’ reputation as a military ally is under suspicion in Europe, while cooperation between the rest of NATO and the United States is declining in the aftermath of the Greenland crisis. The fact that the United States is abruptly reversing its diplomatic commitments and, now, openly pursuing expansionism, appears antithetical to what U.S. foreign policy looked like mere years ago.
Indeed, concerned politicians opposing the current administration are keen to reassure Europe that the United States will resume ties with its partners. For instance, speeches delivered in recent weeks by politicians such as Mark Kelly and Gavin Newsom are centered on reassuring the world that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy is merely an “anomaly” that will be reversed.
The declining relationship between Europe and our country appears as an extraordinary and unnatural phenomenon — but this is not the case.
Though the current crises are unprecedented, they are not “unnatural.” The past year’s news may suggest that this question has only been asked since Trump’s second term. In truth, Atlanticism has been an unstable doctrine for at least three decades and the current situation is rapidly accelerating what was already anticipated for the distant future.
However, these escalations are resurfacing some important questions central to the West’s unity. What arguably began with the controversy over the legitimacy of the Iraq War has since been the consistent center point for questioning Atlanticism. Is Europe an equal partner with the United States or simply a collection of vassals?
The root of this decline lies in the realities of geopolitics, namely the interests of the governments on both sides of the Atlantic. In the previous century, the political ambitions of the United States and Western Europe aimed to counter communism. From this shared ideological interest, military structures embodying the Atlanticist political spirit, like NATO, emerged.
American and European relations are no longer centered on ideology, but rather on financial and political interests. The United States is primarily interested in preserving its hegemony over the global economy, as demonstrated by its rivalry with China and its ambition to control oil reserves in the Middle East and Latin America. In contrast, Europe is focusing on becoming an economic bloc and possibly a federated state independent of U.S. influence.
The causes weakening Atlanticism are based on diverging pragmatic interests, now accelerated by the war in Ukraine and the Greenland crisis. Trump’s policy of seeking a settlement with Russia has eroded NATO cooperation, while his territorial ambitions have diminished the trustworthiness of the country he runs in the eyes of European nations.
Going forward, regardless of whether the White House is controlled by Democrats or Republicans, Europe has an interest in preparing “against” the United States, not viewing it as an ally.
More crucially, this accelerated decline leaves the West overall severely weakened on the global stage. While pursuing financial sovereignty would benefit both Europe and the United States, it would end military cooperation, thereby exposing geopolitical weaknesses. Europe is still severely unprepared for its rearmament ambitions against Russia, while a lack of allies leaves the United States more vulnerable and isolated in the Middle East and the Pacific.
At the same time, Europe overly depends on Russian energy to power its economy and the United States would face reduced influence if it lost access to European bases. Such weaknesses and vulnerabilities are detrimental to the economic and political stability of all the involved parties. The total sum of these developments is a geopolitical catastrophe complex enough to define the 21st century.
Considering these factors, the decline of Atlanticism will be the defining phenomenon of this century. As Europe and the United States are linked politically, economically and militarily, the end of this partnership will be the start of a severe geopolitical struggle between these two spheres.
Therefore, it is important to consider that this is a natural phenomenon decades in the making. It is now in the interests of both sides to pursue further economic independence and military strength to protect their spheres of influence.
Deniz Gulay is a junior double-majoring in history and Russian.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.