U.S. Security Strategy Declares EU A Threat, Sparking Fierce Backlash in Brussels

A new U.S. national security strategy that sharply criticizes the European Union has provoked widespread anger and alarm among European officials, who say the document transforms years of anti‑EU rhetoric in the Trump administration into formal policy.

The tensions have been intensified by two recent flashpoints: President Donald Trump’s push to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine on terms seen as favorable to Russia, and the E.U.’s decision to fine X (formerly Twitter) about $140 million for violations of the bloc’s digital regulations. Elon Musk, owner of X, has publicly called for abolishing the E.U., and some Trump supporters have echoed his attacks — moves that European leaders view as an assault on their sovereignty.

What the Strategy Says

The strategy portrays the E.U. as a growing threat — even suggesting Europe risks “civilizational erasure” because of immigration and progressive social policies — and argues the United States should reassess its role relative to Europe. It downplays China and Russia as the primary geopolitical threats, instead suggesting Washington could help “reestablish strategic stability” with Moscow and act as a mediator between Europe and Russia rather than primarily as NATO’s leading power.

Immediate European Response

Top European figures responded with outrage. European Council President António Costa warned that post‑World War II alliances have changed and urged Europe to prepare to defend itself not only from adversaries but also from allies that challenge it. Former E.U. commissioner Thierry Breton called the strategy "shocking," saying it spells out an intent to destabilize and fragment the bloc. Josep Borrell, the E.U.'s former top diplomat, described the document as "a declaration of political war."

“What we cannot accept is this threat of interference in Europe’s political life,” António Costa said.

Political Fallout

The strategy’s apparent embrace of nationalist parties and its pledge to "cultivate resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations" drew particular criticism. Analysts see the document as aligning with a broader MAGA worldview that identifies Europe as a rival, rather than a partner, in Western affairs. Critics say the strategy echoes the baseless “great replacement” narrative and accepts Russian talking points about the war in Ukraine.

European leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the tone and substance of the report. Poland’s foreign minister Radosław Sikorski mocked the idea of "civilizational erasure" by pointing to American gun‑death statistics; other commentators ridiculed U.S. food products that are banned in Europe.

Public Opinion And Political Divides

Surveys illustrate a widening gulf: a Körber‑Stiftung poll found 59% of Germans feel free to express opinions, while only about 35% said the same of Americans. Though transatlantic rifts are not new — from Iraq to earlier Trump terms — polling this year shows increasing European alienation from the United States. Yet public support for backing Ukraine remains broadly solid in Germany, Britain and France despite economic strain and political pressure from extremes on both left and right.

Who Welcomed The Strategy

Not everyone in Europe objected. Germany’s far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) praised the strategy as a "reality check," and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán applauded Elon Musk’s attacks on the E.U. Moscow also welcomed parts of the document, with Kremlin‑aligned spokespeople saying it could temper hawkish European policies toward Russia.

Why It Matters

European leaders say the strategy risks legitimizing interference in internal politics and weakening a multilateral Western alliance that has underpinned continental security since World War II. The paper may push the E.U. to accelerate plans for greater defense and strategic autonomy even as leaders remain divided on how quickly to act.

As tensions simmer, officials in Brussels and across Europe are weighing diplomatic, economic and strategic responses — from tougher digital regulation to efforts at deeper defense cooperation — to defend what they call the bloc’s sovereignty and political independence.

Contributors: Beatriz Ríos in Brussels; Stefano Pitrelli in Rome; Kate Brady in Berlin; Natalia Abbakumova in Riga; Mary Ilyushina in Berlin; Karla Adam in London.