{"id":102904,"date":"2026-08-22T15:00:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T22:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/?p=102904"},"modified":"2026-08-22T09:21:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T16:21:49","slug":"an-unintended-consequence-of-the-trump-presidency-is-pushing-europe-to-rise-up-as-a-counterweight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/prophecy\/an-unintended-consequence-of-the-trump-presidency-is-pushing-europe-to-rise-up-as-a-counterweight\/","title":{"rendered":"An unintended consequence of the Trump presidency is pushing Europe to rise up as a ‘counterweight’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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COGwriter<\/a><\/p>\n

The Europeans remain concerned about the impact of Donald Trump on the world:<\/p>\n

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How Trump is dismantling the rules-based global order<\/h2>\n

22 August 2026<\/p>\n

Since Donald Trump took office, an international order underpinned by US security guarantees has been under threat. So where is the rules-based global system heading without the US leading the way?<\/p>\n

Mark Leonard of the European Council on Foreign Relations argues that the postwar rules-based order is giving way to an era of “unorder,”\u00a0driven by declining\u00a0US<\/a>\u00a0commitment, rising powers such as\u00a0China<\/a> and growing geopolitical fragmentation. … As confidence in US security guarantees wanes, countries may seek greater military and technological self-reliance, creating a more unstable and unpredictable world. https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/how-trump-is-dismantling-the-rules-based-global-order\/video-78445054<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is more than “may seek greater military and technological self-reliance,” because that is what is happening. The Europeans have greatly increased their military spending.<\/p>\n

Donald Trump has also estranged supporting leaders he had in Europe. Notice one example:<\/p>\n

“It is clear that, with Donald Trump, I thought things would be easier, given our convergence on immigration and woke culture. But things turned out differently.”, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told to the New York Times, setting out her view of the difficult relations that have developed over time between her government and the Washington administration. https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/08\/21\/giorgia-meloni-says-i-thought-it-would-be-easier-with-trump-new-york-times-reports<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some see that as Europe will increase, the USA’s global role will decrease:<\/p>\n

19 August 2026<\/p>\n

NATO<\/a>\u00a0continues to prepare for life without the United States, at least as the dominant alliance member. \u201cEuropeans are already backfilling what the U.S. cannot any longer promise,\u201d\u00a0explained Secretary-General Mark Rutte<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n

America’s foreign policy establishmentarians have long worried about losing influence as a result. Indeed, by driving\u00a0Europe<\/a>\u00a0away from America, Donald Trump may be inadvertently spurring creation of a serious counterweight to Washington. As CNN Fareed\u00a0Zakaria warned<\/u><\/a>: \u201cAs Europe\u2019s spending increases, the continent will become less dependent on the U.S., and less deferential to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

American policymakers, he added, might therefore regret the disappearance of the continent as a military backwater governed by obsequious nonentities, which served as a convenient base for U.S. troops to operate around the globe.<\/p>\n

The rise of Europe as an independent power will almost certainly transform international politics. …<\/p>\n

If the Europeans, and especially the EU, can no longer rely on Washington\u2019s military umbrella, they will have to do more for their own security.\u00a0 …<\/p>\n

An equally important benefit would be to reduce\u00a0America\u2019s ability<\/em> to meddle around the world … https:\/\/responsiblestatecraft.org\/trump-europe-independence\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, USA influence is in the process of weakening. That is another unintended consequence of Donald Trump’s statements and actions.<\/p>\n

Consider also the following from last month related to the NATO summit in Turkey:<\/p>\n

U.S. military leadership under Trump wants Europe to take responsibility for its own security and rely less on the United States. https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/07\/nx-s1-5884055\/trumps-nato-pressure-campaign-continues-as-summit-begins<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Somewhat related to that, a reader sent me a link to the following YouTube video by Fareed Zakaria:<\/p>\n

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How Trump accidentally strengthened Europe<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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10:58<\/div>\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TAr7k_ACewY<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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Here is some of how it starts out:<\/p>\n

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Even people who dislike Donald Trump tend to give him credit for one thing: getting NATO to pay its fair share. American presidents have long grumbled about burden sharing. Trump has been crude, theatrical and transactional, but the sentiment he expressed was broadly shared. And Europeans got the message. Non-American NATO countries collectively spent 1.4 percent of their combined gross domestic product on defense in 2014; in 2025, it was close to 2.3 percent.<\/p>\n

But be careful what you wish for.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When I watched it, it seemed almost like Fareed Zakaria had read warnings here at this COGwriter Church of God News page.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Fareed Zakaria brought up points like having the Europeans spend more the way the Trump Administration has done it:<\/p>\n