Last Saturday, Germany provided a strict portrait of political scenes. It seems to be a country that is working on its past, the future, and anxious. Thousands of people took them to a city of Germany and opposed the rise of the German alternative (AFD). However, on the same day, another event was developed far beyond the German border. In the video link, the high -tech billionaire Iron Musk made a statement that European liberals were provocative and troublesome, and worked on the AFD election campaign.
“It’s good to be proud of the German culture, the value of Germany,” said the mask. The statement may have been harmless if his bold claims had not continued. There are too many focus on past guilt and need to move beyond that. “
Trump & co
The irony was not lost by many people. A few days ago, a mask that appealed for the gesture controversy at the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump in response to the Nazi salute, is now a virtual lecture of a party that is regarded as an “right -wing extremist” organization by German security services. I was standing as a guest. After adding fuel to the fire, the mask openly supported the AFD and declared: “I’m very excited about the AFD. I think it’s really the best hope for Germany. Fight for a big future for Germany.”
This support has marked the second famous prominent involvement of the mask in recent weeks. A few days ago, he interviewed Alice Wydel, the leader in X, and was concerned about the election interference and the prejudice of the platform.
Roll -up world order
In the minds of European organizations, the rebellious advancement of Musuku in Germany’s politics raises a greater, ominous question: this is the high -tech “Oligar Hi” cheerleading the White House. Is it a new wave preview of the Atlantic Popurism? The guilt may sit well with a specific segment in Germany and Europe, but is attacked at the center of European projects. The European Union is considered to have been built on the basics of historical calculations. It is a conscious effort to guarantee that the fear of the 20th century will not be forgotten and will not be repeated.
After President Trump has grasped power, Europe has noticed that the relationship between the Atlantic Ocean confronts a brave United States, which seems to be less about power play and transaction diplomacy, not about partnerships and shared values. For many people on the entire continent, I feel that the billionaire whims and the president are not tied by a traditional western playbook.
The post -World War II orders, which were once the foundation of the world’s stability, are wobble on the brink. NATO and Europe’s statements of Trump, and his drastic behavior in the first week of his new term, has shocked waves through the capital of Europe. It is clear that Trump has returned with a sharper focus and steel determination to claim American rule. When Trump was one of the closest ally in the United States, one of Latin America’s largest trading partner, Colombia, was defeated, and the news was broken. An impressive example happened. The reason for this is a country that has refused to make U.S. military airplanes carrying unwritten Colombian immigrants land on the soil. This movement was disappointed in Europe and looked like a harsh warning to both friends and enemies.
Trump means business
The message is unforgettable for European leaders. The second phase of Trump is to forcing the toes of the United States to the toes through pure economic and political leverage to others. This bold, and many people will be reckless -close relatives will work on the uneasy reality that even many years of allies will not be immunity.
EU leaders and policy proprietors are in a hurry to re -adjust the approach to the more unideable Atlantic crossing relationship. Trump’s demands have rebuilt US dynamics by destroying tariffs on American products, forcing the country to contribute to NATO, and repeating regulations on high -tech companies in the United States. Unlike Joe Biden’s coalition -led diplomacy, Trump’s second phase threatens to redefine the relationship as one of the forced.
But Europe itself is only responsible. China quietly strengthened to Trump’s potential return, but Europe failed to draw lessons from his first term. Despite his bullish style, the continent hardly worked hard to prepare for his resurrection. Now, European leaders are working on important questions: How much is Trump’s rhetoric posture, and how much prelude to action?
One of the few European leaders in Europe, who recognizes that continental vulnerabilities are growing, is French President Emmanuel Macron. He has long warn the need for more strong and more independent Europe. Last year, he declared to the famous Europe, “Europe can die, which is completely dependent on our choices.” However, despite Macron’s demand for resilience, Europe is deeply broken, and many believe that he is weaker than his first term, facing Trump 2.0.
Atlantic row of row
Customs and Trading: Trump has long criticized what he has seen as a protective policy in Europe, especially the US products. Last week’s Davos, he focused on European duties in an American car, called them unfair, and warned of punishment if the demands for lower tariffs were not satisfied. This aggressive attitude can cause trade tension reminiscent of his first term when the tariff war is nervous in the world market. But the US President has points. The European Union imposes 10 % of the imported U.S. cars, but the United States has a 2.5 % low tariff on automobiles imported from the EU. This disparity was the important point of NATO. During his first presidential position, Trump accused NATO free loading from US defense budget. Now he has returned with a more bold request. Trump asks NATO members to donate 5 % of GDP to defense. This is a very high number and will burden the budget of the wealthy country in Europe. Trump’s trading approach to defense funding reduces the alliance into a “salary salary” arrangement, and fundamentally change the spirit of collective security. The tacit threat is that the United States is strictly likely, complied with NATO’s very relevance of NATO. Technical regulations: Trump’s light DA for high -tech giants in Europe is not a secret. In Davos, he chose Google and accused Europe under the reduction of American innovation with excessive fines and deficit. Trump will challenge European sovereignty, which manages the digital market by framing this as an attack on US companies.
Are European bowing?
So far, European leaders have broke lightly, avoiding direct conflict with Trump. Publicly, even if his demands are more unreasonable, warm words emphasize the importance of the Atlantic crossing bond. However, there is a clear anxiety behind a diplomatic smile. European leaders and experts are afraid that continuous tolerance will eroded the basic principles of sovereignty, rule, and unified collective strength.
European media often speaks about crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and is abnormally suppressed, reflecting trumps more widely.
However, as history tells you, silence is costly. Europe is facing the moment of calculation. Should it play the second fiddle to us, which is more and more determined? Or do you assert your sovereignty and value while exposing the relationship? The ancient Greek historian and war recorder, Thucydides, probably explained it: “They do what they can, and the weak suffer from what they have to do.”
(Syed Zubair Ahmed is a senior journalist in London, which has 30 years of experience in western media).
Disclaimer: These are the author’s personal opinion
