What Explains the Transatlantic Rift? It’s All About Threat Perception.

Document Type

Article

Journal Title

Atlantic Council

Publication Date

6-5-2025

Abstract

NATO allies are preparing for their summit at The Hague this month amid a frenzy of promises about increased defense spending, following US President Donald Trump’s call for allies to spend an unprecedented 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. Since taking office in January, Trump has mused about pulling back US forces from Europe while signaling a willingness to improve relations with Russia and even seize Greenland, a territory of NATO ally Denmark.

European policymakers have reacted to Trump’s moves with shock and doubt about the US commitment to NATO, and some have stepped up their defense pledges accordingly. “We still believe that the ‘N’ in NATO stands for North Atlantic and that our European allies should maximize their comparative advantage on the continent,” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said last week at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore. “And thanks to President Trump, they are stepping up. An alliance cannot be ironclad if in reality or perception it is seen as one-sided.”

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The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders.

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