Trump’s anarchist approaches have affected, in particular, the political, economic, and international spheres in almost all fields. These approaches are not compatible even with those of Europe as an old US ally.

Trump who came to power with “America First” doctrine and placed American nationalism on the agenda of its foreign and economic policies, has unilaterally pulled out of important international agreements and conventions over the past two years: The JCPOA, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the NAFTA^[1]…

Trump has also withdrawn the United States from UNESCO and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The decision by the US president to relocate the US embassy in occupied Palestine from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was also contrary to numerous UN Security Council resolutions that faced global opposition.

Analysts believe that the foreign policy of the Trump Administration is formed on the basis of two complementary theories: First, paying attention to internal issues and problem-solving by using the Monroe Doctrine[2], which in the years of the Second World War was the cause of American empowerment, boosted its economic and military structure and emerged as a superpower; and secondly, Trump has shown he is a business minded person and irrespective of ideologies, he would look at international treaties and pacts from a profit-making point of view. Of course, in these two cases, one should consider the pressure from the Zionist lobby pushing Washington to withdraw from certain international agreements, including the nuclear deal with Iran. It seems that Trump is even ready to sacrifice US interests in favor of the Zionist regime.

America’s Trump from a European Perspective

Trump, in line with his “America First” doctrine, prioritizing US interests and goals, without regard to other countries, is of the opinion that Washington’s unilateral and self-centered policies will increase its power and overcome its rivals.

Thus, the measures taken by the United States on the basis of this view of Trump have caused grave concern among other governments and even Washington’s partners and European allies. The concern was so serious that German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her address at the United Nations warned against the dangerous dimensions and consequences of Trump’s foreign policy as well as against undermining the UN structure.[3]

Merkel considered the attack on multilateralism as the most important threat to a sustainable global order. In the opinion of the Europeans, Trump has, in a concrete and calculated way, is embarking on destroying all the instruments and arrangements of multilateralism.

According to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Trump went to the White House with the “America First” doctrine but now he has gone further and speaks of “America First and Only America First”. That is, an America which is involved in a power struggle with everyone and in any bilateral negotiations would emphasize on its supremacy.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini recently[4] expressed fear that the “rule of the jungle” may prevail over the rule of law in global relations as important international treaties are being challenged. She made the remark at the Harvard Kennedy School for Science and International Affairs earlier in December.

Earlier on September 12, at a general meeting of the European Parliament on relations between the EU and the United States, she said that the two sides had fundamental differences on the issue of multilateralism.[5]

Challenging Areas in US-European Relations

The reaction of European and American leaders to each other’s positions is well indicative of the serious level of tension between the two sides.

In the economic sphere, the consequences of the slogan “America First” and Trump’s economic nationalism have also affected Europe. The main theme of this involvement can be seen in the start of a trade war with Europe and China when Trump, at the beginning of the tariff war, showed that Europe even as a trade partner of the US is not immune to the war.

In the military sphere, which is considered to be the most important area for strategic alliance and partnership between the two sides at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Trump and Europe are now wrestling with numerous problems.

Differences surfaced after Trump repeatedly talked about the need to increase Europe’s share in NATO military spending. His statements sparked reactions from the European authorities.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, prior to Trump’s visit to Paris a month ago, underlined the need to establish a joint European army. According to Macron the creation of a true European army is necessary to protect against authoritarian powers on the European borders and should not be dependent on the United States.[6]

In the political sphere, the unilateralist approach of Trump and the White House, especially in the context of US withdrawal from international treaties and agreements, such as the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal) and the Paris Convention on Climate Change, was deeply criticized by European leaders; From EU’s point of view Trump’s America through its unilateralism has deprived the world of diplomatic dynamism and multilateralism.

But it is true that on Iran or on Jerusalem we believe that this (Trump) administration has taken decisions that run counter to our collective interest and to our collective security.”

Conclusion

All these issues have led to an increase in divergence between Europe and the United States; although united Europe is unlikely to be completely separated from Trump’s US but the obvious differences and deep divide between the two sides of the Atlantic can affect the regional and global policies of the White House; In recent months European countries also have joined international powers such as Russia and China, emphasizing on multilateralism. They consider continuation of the current approach adopted by Trump will cause disorder and chaos in the international arena.

[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/11/21/donald-trump-foreign-policy-iran-nafta-russia-mexico-canada-trade/1732952002/

[2]https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AF%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86_%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B1%D9%88

[3] https://fa.euronews.com/2018/09/30/merkel-critique-trump-multilateralism-united-nations

[4]  13 آذر 1397 http://www.irna.ir/fa/News/83122672

[5] http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/429077/%D9%85%D9%88%DA%AF%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AE%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B5-%DA%86%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%85

[6] https://ir.sputniknews.com/world/201811064142894-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%A7-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AF/