Europe needs less emotion in assessing Trump’s strategy
President Donald Trump’s controversial new U.S. National Security Strategy should be read as a political statement, not as a strategic blueprint.
The document devotes most of its attention to Europe. Instead of the usual restrained, bureaucratic language, it presents a stark picture of Europe as a continent struggling with migration, freedoms, and demographic pressure. It states an intention to “cultivate resistance” inside European states. This is not standard language for addressing allies, and the provocation feels intentional. The document is plainly designed to annoy and alarm European governments.
European officials have reacted in kind, with alarm and outrage. They should take a breath. Washington has long argued that Europe invests too little in defense, relies excessively on U.S. military power, and is overregulated. Past administrations........





















Toi Staff
Sabine Sterk
Gideon Levy
Penny S. Tee
Mark Travers Ph.d
Gilles Touboul
John Nosta
Daniel Orenstein