Donald Trump’s inauguration as 47th President of the United States (US) on 20 January 2025 already casts long shadows globally and across the European Union (EU). The prospects of a much better prepared and unrestrained Trump in the White House pose significant challenges to European leaders and institutions, with the risk of dividing them with his transactional approach to global politics. In pursuing his “America first” agenda, he can count on the support of the US Senate, the House of Representatives and a benevolent Supreme Court. Moreover, Big Tech companies have contributed significantly to Trump’s Inaugural Fund and have cozied up to support him prior to the start of his second term.
How will the second Trump presidency impact Europe, and how should the Union and member states prepare? This compendium aims to address these pressing questions from a comprehensive and transversal perspective. Contributions from analysts from different EPC programmes shed light on implications ranging from foreign policy to climate action and democracy.
The full extent of the impact of the second Trump presidency is only dawning on the world, and it is likely to affect many other sectors of the global order, transatlantic relations and European politics. The EPC will continue to analyse the multifaceted challenges that the EU will face in the next four years and beyond.
Read the full paper here.