The Trump Doctrine and the Restructuring of Transatlantic Security

The Trump Doctrine and the Restructuring of Transatlantic SecurityExecutive SummaryA new U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), widely termed the "Trump Doctrine," signals a fundamental and ideological rupture in the 75-year transatlantic alliance. The document effectively serves as a declaration of divorce, pivoting the United States away from its role as Europe's primary security guarantor toward a narrow "America First" policy. The strategy is openly hostile to the European Union, which it accuses of fostering "civilizational erasure" through migration and progressive ideologies, while simultaneously offering support to populist and radical-right movements to destabilize the continent.In parallel, the U.S. is aggressively pursuing a peace plan for the war in Ukraine that mandates significant territorial concessions to Russia, explicitly prioritizing a "workable relationship" with Moscow over a Ukrainian victory. This has been described by analysts as "throwing Ukraine under the bus" and has been enthusiastically welcomed by the Kremlin, which views the NSS as an ideological endorsement and a green light to expand its sphere of influence.This strategic shift forces Europe into a critical dilemma. Commentators universally agree that the continent must now urgently pursue strategic autonomy—militarily, economically, and technologically. However, this long-term necessity is complicated by Europe's immediate and profound dependency on U.S. military capabilities, forcing European leaders into a delicate political balancing act of public appeasement while privately confronting the reality that the U.S. is no longer a reliable ally.