The European Union’s tariff deal with US President Donald Trump highlights the bloc’s inability to present a united front. By capitulating to Trump’s bullying, the EU has cemented its dependence on the United States and will become a prosperous yet powerless appendage of the American empire. Europe’s subordination both reflects and reinforces the continent’s dependence on US power. For decades, European countries have failed to meet NATO’s defense-spending targets, content to shelter under the US nuclear umbrella. Now, the same deference is playing out on the economic front, as the EU proves unable to marshal its collective weight in the face of Trump’s pressure tactics. This military and economic dependency has created a structural imbalance that extends across defense, trade, and energy, leaving Europe in a state of permanent vassalization.The long-term damage to EU credibility and autonomy will be long-lasting. The widespread perception that Europe surrenders without resistance will undoubtedly invite further challenges to European interests.
