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Transatlantic Relations under Trump Administration and the National Interest Policies in Europe

Year 2021, Volume: 25 Issue: 4, 1373 - 1395, 28.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.53487/ataunisosbil.827010

Abstract

This paper bases on the research related to the change of US - EU relations under Donald Trump administration in the United States and its effect on the EU member states' pursuing autonomous policies. Recent analyses reveal that under the Trump administration, there has been a change of traditional economic and political relations with the EU member states. How this policy change affected the EU member states has not received much attention. The analysis reveals Trump's questioning the function of NATO and putting tariffs on the products of the EU, supporting Brexit process and having close relations with the far-right leaders of Europe present important evidence of this policy change. This change has been visible in parallel with the leading European countries' creating their own foreign and domestic policies related to increasing the power of anti-EU political parties such as in Poland, Hungary, and the United Kingdom. The analysis thus suggests Trump’s approach to these countries encouraged them to pursue autonomous policies. Moreover, current President of the US, Joe Biden’s connivance of European politics shows the continuation of this policy even without direct support to the far-right leaders of Europe. With the neoclassical realist theory informed analysis, this paper aims to present the effect of Trump administration's restructuring attempts of US - EU relations on EU member states' pursuing autonomous policies.

References

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  • DW. (2019). US Imposes Record $7.5 Billion Tariffs on European Goods. Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/us-imposes-record-75-billion-tariffs-on-european-goods/a-50880622 (Accessed 25 July 2020).
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  • Eichengreen, B. (2009). The Financial Crisis and Global Policy Reforms. Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Oct., 299-334.
  • Euractive. (2019). Trump Tells Italy: Get Rid of ‘EU Burden’ and I will Give you Tariff Discount. Available at: https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/trump-tells-italy-get-rid-of-eu-burden-and-i-will-give-you-tariff-discount/ (Accessed 27 July 2020).
  • Eurostat. (2015). Asylum in the EU The Number of Asylum Applicants in the EU Jumped to More than 625000 in 2014 20% were Syrians. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/6751779/3-20032015-BP-EN.pdf/35e04263-2db 5-4e75-b3d3-6b086b23ef2b (Accessed 27 July 2020).
  • Gambini, G., Istatkov, R. and Kerner, R. (2015). EU and US Form the Largest Trade and Investment Relationship in the World. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/pdfscache/39673.pdf (Accessed 29 July 2020).
  • Gaouette, N. (2018). Trump Praises Poland a Day After EU Moves to Sue Warsaw. CNN, 25 September. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/25/politics/trump-unga-poland-praise/index.html (Accessed 29 July 2020).
  • Gaspari, F. (2011). “The EU Air Transport Liberalization and Re-regulation”. International and Comparative Law Review, 11(2), 7–42.
  • Haas, E. B. (1958). The Uniting of Europe: Political, Social, and Economic Forces 1950-1957. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
  • Harte, R.E.N. (2018). US Tariffs: EU Response and Fears of a Trade War. European Parliamentary Research Service. Available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2018/623554/EPRS_ATA(2018)623554_EN.pdf (Accessed 30 July 2020).
  • Hooghe, L. and Marks, G. (2009). “A Postfunctionalist Theory of European Integration: From Permissive Consensus to Constraining Dissensus”. British Journal of Political Science, 39(1), 1-23.
  • Jackson, D.M. (2016). Scotland-bound Trump Says he'd Vote for 'Brexit'. USA Today, 20 June. Available at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/06/20/donald-trump-brexit-turnberry-abderdeen-scotland/86130998/ (Accessed 1 August 2020).
  • Jacobs, B. (2017). Donald Trump: Marine Le Pen is 'Strongest Candidate' in French Election. The Guardian, 21 April. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/21/donald-trump-marine-le-pen-french-presidential-election (Accessed 12 August 2020).
  • Kaufman, J.P. (2017). “The US Perspective on NATO under Trump: Lessons of the Past and Prospects for the Future”. International Affairs, 93(2), 251-266.
  • Kennedy, P. (1989). The Rise and Fall of Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000. London: Fontana.
  • Kirchgaessner, S. (2016). Donald Trump Gets my Backing, Says Italy's Matteo Salvini. The Guardian, 26 April. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/26/donald-trump-gets-my-backing-says-italys-matteo-salvini (Accessed 3 August 2020).
  • Kottasova, I. and Britton, B. (2019). Boris Johnson's Conservative Party Wins Majority in UK Election. CNN, 13 December. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/13/uk/uk-election-boris-johnson-win-ge19-intl-gbr/index.html (Accessed 15 July 2020).
  • Lafeber, W. (1989). “NATO and the Korean War: A Context”. Diplomatic History, 13(4), 461–477.
  • Lipsey, R.G. (1957). “The Theory of Customs Unions: Trade Diversion and Welfare”. Economica, 24, 40-46.
  • Moltke, K.V. (1995). The Maastricht Treaty and the Winnipeg Principles on Trade and Sustainable Development. Winnipeg, Manitoba: International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  • Moravcsik, A. (1998). De Gaulle and Europe: Historical Revision and Social Science Theory. Program for the Study of Germany and Europe Working Paper Series 8.5. Cambridge MA: Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University.
  • Nye, J.S. (1968). “Comparative Regional Integration: Concept and Measurement”. International Organization, 22, 855-880.
  • Rose, G. (1998). “Review: Neoclassical Realism and Theories of Foreign Policy”. World Politics, 51(1), 144-172.
  • Sanger, D.E. and Haberman, M. (2016). ‘Donald Trump Sets Condition for Defending NATO Allies against Attack’. New York Times, 20 July. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us/politics/donald-trump-issues.html?_r=0. (Accessed 5 August 2020).
  • Scholz, K.A. (2017). Germany's Right-wing AfD and Donald Trump. DW, 1 February. Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-right-wing-afd-and-donald-trump/a-37373538 (Accessed 7 August 2020).
  • Schweller, R.L. (2004). “Unanswered Threats: A Neoclassical Realist Theory of Underbalancing”. International Security, 29(2), 159-201.
  • Simon, Z. (2016). Hungary’s Orban Says Trump Invited Him to U.S. to Reset Ties. Bloomberg, 25 November. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-25/trump-said-to-invite-black-sheep-hungarian-premier-to-u-s (Accessed 8 August 2020).
  • Steil, B. (2018). The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War. New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • Steinberg, F. (2018). How should the EU confront President Trump? Elcano Royal Institute, 15 October. Available at: http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/usa-transatlantic+dialogue/ari115-2018-steinberg-eu-facing-hostility-president-trump (Accessed 28 July 2020).
  • Tardy, T. and Lindstrom, G. (2019). “The Scope of EU - NATO Cooperation”. In: Tardy T. and Lindstrom G. (Eds.), The EU and NATO: Essential Partners (pp. 5-12). Paris: EU Institute for Security Studies.
  • Viner, J. (1950). The Customs Union Issue. New York: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  • Walker, J. (2019). Trump Hails Boris Johnson's U.K. Election Victory as Chance for 'Massive New Trade Deal' After Brexit. Newsweek, 13 December. Available at: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-boris-johnson-election-victory-massive-trade-deal-bre xit-1477095 (Accessed 11 July 2020).
  • Webber, D. (2014). “How Likely is it that the European Union will Disintegrate? A Critical Analysis of Competing Theoretical Perspectives”. European Journal of International Relations, 20(2), 341-365.
  • Wohlforth, M.W. (1993). The Elusive Balance: Power and Perceptions During the Cold War. New York: Cornell University Press.
  • Yılmaz, M. (2013). “Türkiye Transatlantik Ekonomik Ortaklıkta Yer Almalı”. TÜSİAD Görüş Dergisi, 78, 2.
  • Zakaria, F. (1992). “Realism and Domestic Politics: A Review Essay”. International Security, 17(1), 177–198.
  • Zakaria, F. (1998). From Wealth to Power. The Unusual Origins of America’s World Role. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

US-EU Relations in the Trump Era: Quest for Autonomy in Europe

Year 2021, Volume: 25 Issue: 4, 1373 - 1395, 28.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.53487/ataunisosbil.827010

Abstract

Bu çalışma ABD'de Donald Trump döneminde ABD - AB ilişkilerinin değişmesi ve bu değişimin son dönemde AB üye devletlerinin daha özerk politikalar takip etmelerine etkisini incelemektedir. Önceki çalışmalar ABD'de Trump döneminde, AB üye devletleriyle geleneksel ekonomik ve siyasi ilişkilerde batı ittifakı fikrinden uzaklaşan bir yaklaşım olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu politika değişikliğinin AB’ye üye devletleri nasıl etkilediği üzerine yapılan çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Trump'ın NATO'nun işlevini sorgulaması ve Avrupa Birliği'nden ithal edilen ürünlere ilave gümrük vergisi uygulaması, Brexit sürecini desteklemesi ve Avrupa’daki aşırı sağ liderlerle yakın ilişki kurması bu politika değişikliğinin önemli kanıtlarıdır. Bu politika değişikliği; Polonya, Macaristan ve Birleşik Krallık gibi Avrupa ülkelerinde, Avrupa Birliği karşıtı siyasi partilerin gücünü artırmalarının da etkisiyle kendi çıkarları çerçevesinde iç ve dış politikalarını oluşturmalarıyla paralel olarak aynı dönemde gerçekleşmiştir. Dolayısıyla bu çalışma, Trump'ın bu ülkelere yaklaşımının onları daha özerk politikalar izlemeye teşvik ettiğini gösteriyor. ABD'nin şu anki Başkanı Joe Biden'ın Avrupa siyasetini görmezden gelmesi, Avrupa'nın aşırı sağ liderlerine doğrudan destek olunmasa bile bu politikanın devam ettiğini gösteriyor. Neoklasik realist teori çerçevesinde yapılan bir analizle bu çalışma, Trump yönetiminin ABD - AB ilişkilerini yeniden yapılandırma girişimlerinin Avrupa Birliği'ne üye devletlerin daha özerk politikalar takip etmeleri üzerindeki etkilerini sunmayı amaçlamaktadır.

References

  • Babuna, A. (2014). “European integration, Bosnia-Herzegovina and stability in the Western Balkans: a new strategy”. Perceptions, 19(2), 1-32.
  • Batchelor, T. (2017). Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban Praises Donald Trump's 'America First' Nationalism. The Independent, 23 January. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/donald-trump-nationalist-hungary-pm-viktor- orban-praise-america-first-a7542361.html (Accessed 1 August 2020).
  • BBC. (2016a). How is the migrant crisis dividing EU countries? Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34278886 (Accessed 20 July 2020). BBC. (2016b). Donald Trump: Nigel Farage would be Great UK Ambassador. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38060434 (Accessed 23 July 2020).
  • Buncombe, A. and Carroll, O. (2017). Carter Page: Trump's Former Adviser Says He has 'Zero Fears' about Mueller's Russia Investigation. The Independent, 31 October. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/carter-page-trump-russia-investig ation-zero-fears-mueller-indictment-a8029841.html (Accessed 20 July 2020).
  • Chase, P., Sparding, P. and Mukai, Y. (2018). Consequences of US Trade Policy on EU-US Trade Relations and the Global Trading System. Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies of EU. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/603882/EXPO_STU(2018)603882_EN.pdf (Accessed 22 July 2020).
  • DW. (2019). US Imposes Record $7.5 Billion Tariffs on European Goods. Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/us-imposes-record-75-billion-tariffs-on-european-goods/a-50880622 (Accessed 25 July 2020).
  • EEAS. (2016). Shaping of a Common Security and Defence Policy. Available at: https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/common-security-and-defence-policy-csdp/5388/shaping-of-a-comm on-security-and-defence-policy-_en (Accessed 25 July 2020).
  • Ehmsen, S. and Scharenberg, A. (2018). The Far Right in Government: Six Cases from Across Europe. New York: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.
  • Eichengreen, B. (2009). The Financial Crisis and Global Policy Reforms. Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Oct., 299-334.
  • Euractive. (2019). Trump Tells Italy: Get Rid of ‘EU Burden’ and I will Give you Tariff Discount. Available at: https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/trump-tells-italy-get-rid-of-eu-burden-and-i-will-give-you-tariff-discount/ (Accessed 27 July 2020).
  • Eurostat. (2015). Asylum in the EU The Number of Asylum Applicants in the EU Jumped to More than 625000 in 2014 20% were Syrians. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/6751779/3-20032015-BP-EN.pdf/35e04263-2db 5-4e75-b3d3-6b086b23ef2b (Accessed 27 July 2020).
  • Gambini, G., Istatkov, R. and Kerner, R. (2015). EU and US Form the Largest Trade and Investment Relationship in the World. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/pdfscache/39673.pdf (Accessed 29 July 2020).
  • Gaouette, N. (2018). Trump Praises Poland a Day After EU Moves to Sue Warsaw. CNN, 25 September. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/25/politics/trump-unga-poland-praise/index.html (Accessed 29 July 2020).
  • Gaspari, F. (2011). “The EU Air Transport Liberalization and Re-regulation”. International and Comparative Law Review, 11(2), 7–42.
  • Haas, E. B. (1958). The Uniting of Europe: Political, Social, and Economic Forces 1950-1957. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
  • Harte, R.E.N. (2018). US Tariffs: EU Response and Fears of a Trade War. European Parliamentary Research Service. Available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2018/623554/EPRS_ATA(2018)623554_EN.pdf (Accessed 30 July 2020).
  • Hooghe, L. and Marks, G. (2009). “A Postfunctionalist Theory of European Integration: From Permissive Consensus to Constraining Dissensus”. British Journal of Political Science, 39(1), 1-23.
  • Jackson, D.M. (2016). Scotland-bound Trump Says he'd Vote for 'Brexit'. USA Today, 20 June. Available at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/06/20/donald-trump-brexit-turnberry-abderdeen-scotland/86130998/ (Accessed 1 August 2020).
  • Jacobs, B. (2017). Donald Trump: Marine Le Pen is 'Strongest Candidate' in French Election. The Guardian, 21 April. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/21/donald-trump-marine-le-pen-french-presidential-election (Accessed 12 August 2020).
  • Kaufman, J.P. (2017). “The US Perspective on NATO under Trump: Lessons of the Past and Prospects for the Future”. International Affairs, 93(2), 251-266.
  • Kennedy, P. (1989). The Rise and Fall of Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000. London: Fontana.
  • Kirchgaessner, S. (2016). Donald Trump Gets my Backing, Says Italy's Matteo Salvini. The Guardian, 26 April. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/26/donald-trump-gets-my-backing-says-italys-matteo-salvini (Accessed 3 August 2020).
  • Kottasova, I. and Britton, B. (2019). Boris Johnson's Conservative Party Wins Majority in UK Election. CNN, 13 December. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/13/uk/uk-election-boris-johnson-win-ge19-intl-gbr/index.html (Accessed 15 July 2020).
  • Lafeber, W. (1989). “NATO and the Korean War: A Context”. Diplomatic History, 13(4), 461–477.
  • Lipsey, R.G. (1957). “The Theory of Customs Unions: Trade Diversion and Welfare”. Economica, 24, 40-46.
  • Moltke, K.V. (1995). The Maastricht Treaty and the Winnipeg Principles on Trade and Sustainable Development. Winnipeg, Manitoba: International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  • Moravcsik, A. (1998). De Gaulle and Europe: Historical Revision and Social Science Theory. Program for the Study of Germany and Europe Working Paper Series 8.5. Cambridge MA: Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University.
  • Nye, J.S. (1968). “Comparative Regional Integration: Concept and Measurement”. International Organization, 22, 855-880.
  • Rose, G. (1998). “Review: Neoclassical Realism and Theories of Foreign Policy”. World Politics, 51(1), 144-172.
  • Sanger, D.E. and Haberman, M. (2016). ‘Donald Trump Sets Condition for Defending NATO Allies against Attack’. New York Times, 20 July. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us/politics/donald-trump-issues.html?_r=0. (Accessed 5 August 2020).
  • Scholz, K.A. (2017). Germany's Right-wing AfD and Donald Trump. DW, 1 February. Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-right-wing-afd-and-donald-trump/a-37373538 (Accessed 7 August 2020).
  • Schweller, R.L. (2004). “Unanswered Threats: A Neoclassical Realist Theory of Underbalancing”. International Security, 29(2), 159-201.
  • Simon, Z. (2016). Hungary’s Orban Says Trump Invited Him to U.S. to Reset Ties. Bloomberg, 25 November. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-25/trump-said-to-invite-black-sheep-hungarian-premier-to-u-s (Accessed 8 August 2020).
  • Steil, B. (2018). The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War. New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • Steinberg, F. (2018). How should the EU confront President Trump? Elcano Royal Institute, 15 October. Available at: http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/usa-transatlantic+dialogue/ari115-2018-steinberg-eu-facing-hostility-president-trump (Accessed 28 July 2020).
  • Tardy, T. and Lindstrom, G. (2019). “The Scope of EU - NATO Cooperation”. In: Tardy T. and Lindstrom G. (Eds.), The EU and NATO: Essential Partners (pp. 5-12). Paris: EU Institute for Security Studies.
  • Viner, J. (1950). The Customs Union Issue. New York: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  • Walker, J. (2019). Trump Hails Boris Johnson's U.K. Election Victory as Chance for 'Massive New Trade Deal' After Brexit. Newsweek, 13 December. Available at: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-boris-johnson-election-victory-massive-trade-deal-bre xit-1477095 (Accessed 11 July 2020).
  • Webber, D. (2014). “How Likely is it that the European Union will Disintegrate? A Critical Analysis of Competing Theoretical Perspectives”. European Journal of International Relations, 20(2), 341-365.
  • Wohlforth, M.W. (1993). The Elusive Balance: Power and Perceptions During the Cold War. New York: Cornell University Press.
  • Yılmaz, M. (2013). “Türkiye Transatlantik Ekonomik Ortaklıkta Yer Almalı”. TÜSİAD Görüş Dergisi, 78, 2.
  • Zakaria, F. (1992). “Realism and Domestic Politics: A Review Essay”. International Security, 17(1), 177–198.
  • Zakaria, F. (1998). From Wealth to Power. The Unusual Origins of America’s World Role. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
There are 43 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Makaleler
Authors

Ahmet Görgen 0000-0001-9647-2691

Publication Date December 28, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 25 Issue: 4

Cite

APA Görgen, A. (2021). Transatlantic Relations under Trump Administration and the National Interest Policies in Europe. Atatürk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 25(4), 1373-1395. https://doi.org/10.53487/ataunisosbil.827010

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