Flattery is for fools: Can Euros stand up to Trump — and win?

There is no reason why they cannot turn the president into an asset without embarrassing themselves

This article appeared in Responsible Statecraft on February 27, 2026

---

Diplomatic tensions between the United States and Europe have flared once again. Following the killing of French right-wing activist Quentin Deranque earlier this month, the U.S. State Department warned about the threat of “violent radical leftism” and that it expects to see “the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.” Citing interference with domestic politics, the French government summoned U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner, but he failed to show. He is now being denied access to government officials.

The intent to meddle in European domestic affairs is outlined in the 2025 National Security Strategy. The document mentions Europe in starkly ideological terms. It decries Europe’s loss of “civilizational self-confidence” and claims that “unstable minority governments” are suppressing democracy. Moreover, it lays bare Washington’s goal of “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations.”

If the Trump administration carries out this strategy successfully, it will be because European leaders already face a crisis of legitimacy. Most are deeply unpopular in their own countries. As of December 2025, every major Western European leader is underwater. Italy’s Georgia Meloni has a favorability rating of 35%, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez 30%, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz 25%. The UK’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron face paltry favorability ratings of 17% and 16%, respectively.

…

Read Eloise’s full piece in Responsible Statecraft

---