Trump displayed his self-regard and outsize ego to the world once again by mocking Macron.
But the French President had already thrown down the gauntlet, announcing from the same podium that “Europe prefers respect to
bullies” (20/1).
The President of the ECB walked out of a discussion with the US Commerce Secretary. And the NATO Secretary confirmed his status as the American President’s toady once again.
The comments and reactions have to be seen to be believed.
While a few remaining optimists, naïve or pretending to be, persist in trying to salvage the final remnants of the Euro-Atlantic axis and NATO.
This is the stark reality. And we will have to live with it.
It is true that the Europeans had underestimated Trump. At best, they thought his second term would be something like a continuation of the first.
Business as usual.
If my information is correct, only Christine Lagarde warned the European leadership in advance that “Trump 2” would be different, and worse.
The others were caught completely on the back foot. And by retreating one step at a time, they pumped Trump up with the confidence to take his next step forward.
Now he wants to create his own UN, call it the “Peace Council” and serve as its “President for life”, while also getting his hands on Greenland, which he keeps on confusing with Iceland!
After Trump’s two speeches in Davos, the Europeans gathered in Brussels for what would look like a response, but ended saying very little (22/1).
It is clear that the European Union doesn’t know how to deal with him yet, although more and more of its member states are realizing that red lines will have to be drawn.
If Trump considers Europe as his sidekick, he won’t be waiting round for the EU to call him boss: it will be out of their hands.
“The time for flattery has ended,” said the Danish former NATO Secretary.
What is certain is that Euro-American relations have entered a new phase. Although the new framework has not yet been defined with the requisite clarity.
Though, truth be told, only when the battle ends in one way or another will we be able to count our gains and losses.
