Trump terror stalks Europe

Hasan Suroor

FOR the best part of the past 70 years, the Europe-US transatlantic alliance has been paraded as a guarantor of world peace and stability; and the best deal for free trade and liberal democracy. Despite occasional hiccups it has survived, but coming months could test it to destruction if Donald Trump’s bite turns out to be as bad as his bark.

A few weeks ago, I wrote here about concerns that Vladimir Putin was trying to “undermine” EU institutions and create divisions among its allies. That was before Trump got going with his “America First” agenda and started wagging his fingers at Europeans. Now, it seems, Putin was a laugh; the real menace is “The Donald”. He has a visceral dislike of the EU, has called Brexit a “blessing to the world”, and urged others to follow the British example. European leaders are rattled by his abrasive pronouncements and hardline policies which they find both morally repugnant and contrary to the fundamentals of the West’s political and economic philosophy. European Council president Donald Tusk says Trump poses a serious threat to Europe.

The expectation that once in power Trump would be forced by the demands of office to tone down his incendiary campaign rhetoric and conduct international relations with a greater sense of responsibility has been belied by the decisions he has taken in the first two weeks of his presidency. The recklessness that characterised his election campaign continues to mark his style in office. In European capitals, struggling to make sense of the new American President, there’s a mix of anger, frustration, and a sense of foreboding. A fear of Trump’s unpredictable behaviour — the fear of “what he will do to us?”, as a brilliant essay in The Atlantic put it.

The areas of particular concern include his protectionist economic agenda; threat to wind up “obsolete” Nato that Europe regards as the cornerstone of the transatlantic alliance; and a deep-seated hostility to EU which he has accused of gaining unfair trade advantages from a “grossly undervalued” euro. Europe’s worst fears about his policies have been confirmed by his travel ban on seven Muslim countries (since suspended by a court) and freeze on Syrian refugees provoking a strong reaction from across the continent. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a sharp exchange with him over the phone reminding him of America’s obligations under the Geneva Convention to help those fleeing war.

“She is convinced even the necessary, decisive battle against terrorism does not justify putting people of a specific background or faith under general suspicion,” her spokesman said.

Trump’s bullying behaviour, especially his threats over economic issues, has prompted an unusually sharp response even from the soft-spoken French President Francois Hollande. Trump was trying to “destabilise” Europe and its economy, he said. “The talk we’re hearing from the US encourages populism and extremism.” 

 Businesses, meanwhile, are deeply concerned over Trump’s plans to raise trade barriers. His threat to impose 35 per cent tariff on car imports brought a caustic response from Germans who told him that America should learn to “start making better cars” if he didn’t want to import foreign cars. Siemens chief executive was struck by the absurdity of an immigrant-nation turning its face against the world.

Even in Britain where the government has shamelessly broken ranks with its European allies to cosy up to Trump in pursuit of an elusive “special relationship” with America, public mood is incandescent. More than 1.5 million people have signed a petition calling for the cancellation of his state visit to Britain in the summer which will earn him a stay at Buckingham Palace and a ceremonial ride along the Mall with the Queen.

There’s fury over Theresa May’s appeasement of Trump prompting comparisons with another Conservative PM Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement towards Hitler in 1938. She has been dubbed “Theresa the Appeaser” for her fawning behaviour during her visit to Washington when she became the first foreign leader to have an audience with Trump after he assumed office. She has been widely condemned not only in Britain, but also by her European allies for her initial silence over Trump’s travel ban until she was forced to issue a mealy-mouthed statement. At a press conference in Ankara she was heckled by journalists frustrated by her refusal to answer their questions on the issue.  She declined three times to comment; when pressed a fourth time, she said America was  responsible for its own policy on refugees. “Ours is to let in a number of refugees, particularly the most vulnerable”. The lengths to which she has gone in recent days to please/appease Trump has shocked many in her own party and those who otherwise admire her cautious and diplomatic style.

May’s decision to invite Trump on a full state visit has provoked nationwide protests, and dragged the Queen into a controversy who’s said to have been “put in a very difficult position”. Experts say it’s rare for a US President to be given a state visit in their very first year. There are fears that the visit could end up in a shambles. An extraordinary diplomatic row has already erupted after the Trump team told their British hosts that the President doesn’t wish to meet Prince Charles and be “lectured” on issues they don’t agree on, especially environment. It’s believed to be an unprecedented departure from protocol and “threatens to disrupt” the visit, The Sunday Times warned.

In a telling cartoon, the Queen, informed of Trump’s visit, is shown throwing up her hand and saying: “One suddenly feels tempted to build a wall.”

Meanwhile, for all its appeasement, the May government might discover that it hasn’t got anything from him while alienating its European allies who already see Britain as a black sheep. It’s not the first time that London has dumped the rest of Europe for a mythical “special relationship” with Washington. Remember Tony Blair over Iraq? At a summit last week, EU leaders rejected May’s  gratuitous offer to be a “bridge” between Europe and America. Thank you, but we don’t need an unreliable broker; we can look after ourselves, she was told. Summing up the mood, Hollande said the best way to protect Europe was to  have “a European conception of our future. If not, there would be — in my opinion — no Europe”.

His dire warning shows how much Europe has been shaken by Trump’s bully-boy tactics, but it also reveals a deeper crisis of confidence within Europe that it is so rattled by a political upstart in the White House.

The writer is a London-based commentator