I know this is a bold thesis. It is meant to provoke thought and encourage debate. Here are some of the considerations that led me to it:

  • Europe depends on US military protection, and the US uses this “alliance” as leverage -> NATO gives Washington structural influence over European security choices.

  • US tech firms dominate Europe’s cloud and software stack, creating digital dependency. Also, European data often sits under infrastructure exposed to US legal and corporate power.

  • Russian energy dependence was a problem for Europe when the Ukraine war started. The US were quite eager when it came to “help” by replacing the Russian energy dependence with American energy dependence.

  • US sanctions policy often forces Europe to absorb costs for Washington’s geopolitical priorities.

  • American platforms shape European speech, commerce, administration, and most importantly: public debate.

  • “Strategic autonomy” exists as a slogan because dependency is already the default.

  • 73ms@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    What they’re doing now shouldn’t be conflated with what they used to do (which was arguably more mutually beneficial) and if the hypothesis OP makes was correct it would be a recent thing.

    But yes, I think the Trump admin wants to make Europe a subject just like they want to do it with Venezuela, Iran etc. even if the method is thankfully different. I don’t think it’s going to work.

    • hendrik@palaver.p3x.deEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      Yeah, thanks. Guess OP asked if they want to do it / are trying. But i answered another question, whether I think they’re successful in actually doing it…

      Thh, I can’t even tell. What Trump does is a lot of caprice. Goals and rules change on a weekly basis. Probably so we all learn to submit to whatever is sent our way, as proper peasants should. That would be learned helplessness for one part of the people. And gladly accepting the role as sheeple for the people who just want someone to tell them whom to hate.

      But I really question whether there’s more geopolitical strategy behind it. Doesn’t look like it to me. And Venezuela was kind of the only successful thing Trump did. Iran… not so much.