European spirit is alive and kicking
Despite Trump’s efforts to weaken the structure of the EU, the continent can push back by speaking in a unified voice
For the last 18 months, the international community has been enduring the daily tweets of United States President Donald Trump. He has kept up with his daily tirade, often garnishing truths with half-truths. Over time his foreign policy has surprised us, but what baffled many commentators was his July 15 statement regarding Europe. “European Union is our enemy because of what it does with us in commerce,” he claimed. The statement was made in an interview with CBS Television. One is not sure of the US president’s knowledge of last century’s history, but here was the leader of a country which has stood by Europe during the Second World War and Communist threat of 30 years ago, calling the continent his foe. The anxiety in EU was understandable.
Given his complex persona, it is hard to pin Trump down. Writing about him becomes a problem sometimes because his comments on any given day might be outdated the day after. One cannot say with a degree of certainty that whether what Trump says is actually part of his negotiating tactic or simply his lack of understanding of an issue.
Looking at some of his ‘final’ positions, there is indeed enough to be worried about: A dramatic negation of obvious climate change issue, unilateral decision about moving the US Embassy from the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem or the torpedoing of a G7 plenary meeting in Canada with a signing of joint communique followed an hour later by its rebuke.
Other events have also not been very reassuring. Examples like the Singapore Summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, launch of a global commercial war on trade and tariffs (until Trump seemed to step back to meet EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker), or a mixing of political and business issues as illustrated by an admonition of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, showcase the mixed bag of Trump’s days in office thus far.
It is also somewhat unusual for the US president to suggest that his own intelligence community (to whom he did not report the contents of his discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin) “were wrong” in their inquiry of the so-called ‘Russiagate’ scandal. While Trump will not be the president forever, latest polls confirm that he still enjoys a strong base and could even run again successfully for office.
Oddly enough, it may be time for Europe to take note of some of Trump’s comments and work around it. The first good example comes from the latest Nato Summit in Brussels late last month. It makes sense to remind some European countries that their effort in military spending (less than 1 per cent of their gross domestic product) is not up to the mark. More interestingly, it should also be an occasion to wonder whether Nato still fulfils its mission. The question is obviously of essence for Europe, especially at a time when one doesn’t understand anymore what the upcoming Brexit is going to be.
It is clear that those European countries who want to unite and strengthen their forces in a truly global world should start defining new rules — beginning with the organisation of a ‘European Security Conference’. It would be an opportunity for countries such as France to reshape an independent project based upon their core values.
Coming back to Trump, the next time he says “Nato is obsolete” or interferes in Brexit or tries to create a divide between France and Italy, it is up to the EU to push back and make it clear that the European spirit is intact and very well alive.
■ Luc Debieuvre is a French essayist and a lecturer at IRIS (Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques) and the ‘FACO’ Law University of Paris.
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