The Trump Administration’s Ideological War Against the EU – Dr. Toygür opinion article in El País.

In her latest El País opinion piece, Ilke Toygür, Director of the Global Policy Center at IE University, warns that the Trump administration is not just disengaging from Europe but actively working against it. She argues that Washington now prefers a weak, fragmented EU governed by far-right nationalists rather than a strong, united Europe. This shift was made clear at the Munich Security Conference, where U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized EU policies against disinformation and hate speech, stating that “Europe doesn’t even know what it’s fighting for”. Toygür sees this as part of a growing ideological divide between Washington and Brussels, emphasizing that no amount of European defense spending or market concessions to U.S. tech giants will bridge the gap. Instead, she warns that Trump is aligning with Europe’s far right, including the Patriots for Europe group, backed by Elon Musk.

Toygür stresses that Europe can no longer rely on the U.S. as a steadfast ally. The recent U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia—held without EU or Ukrainian participation—highlight Europe’s diminishing role in Washington’s strategy. She urges the EU to develop its own resilience, moving beyond outdated notions of transatlantic solidarity. “What’s at stake is democracy itself”, she warns, calling for a European strategy focused on economic resilience, defense, and democratic renewal. "The EU must turn this crisis into an opportunity for reinvention". The time to act, she insists, is now. 

Read the full opinion piece here.