President Donald Trump's administration has reportedly warned that Europe is on a path towards 'civilisational erasure', according to a newly released US National Security Strategy (NSS) that has sent shockwaves through financial markets and European capitals.
The document, unveiled by the White House on Thursday, delivers an unusually blunt critique of the European Union's migration policies, political culture and security posture, suggesting the continent could become 'unrecognisable in 20 years or less' if current trends continue.
The statement that Europe's economic problems are 'eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure' appears in the NSS document from the Trump administration, which explicitly states the US intent to 'cultivate resistance' to Europe's current direction.
The Scathing Critique of European Identity
The document's central thesis on Europe is that the continent's decline is self-inflicted, driven by ideological adherence to multilateralism and open borders.
It argues that the 'activities of the European Union and other transnational bodies... undermine political liberty and sovereignty,' claiming the bloc's policies stifle free expression and suppress political opposition.
NSS appears to strongly align with the racist 'Great Replacement Theory' which claims ethnic white populations are deliberately being replaced by people of colour, by stating that 'it is more than plausible that within a few decades at the latest, certain NATO members will become majority non-European.' This explicit, culturally charged rhetoric is virtually unprecedented in a formal US foreign policy document.
It has confirmed the concerns of critics who feared the administration would use its diplomatic weight to interfere in Europe's domestic political choices. As one German official noted, 'questions of freedom of expression or the organisation of our free societies' do not fall into the domain of US guidance.
A New Transactional Posture on Security
Beyond the cultural anxieties, the new security strategy fundamentally redefines the US commitment to European defence, confirming a significant shift towards a transactional security arrangement.
The NSS explicitly calls for Europe to 'take primary responsibility for its own defence' and explicitly questions the long-term reliability of European countries as partners.
The document warns that, given their economic and military weakness, it is 'far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies.'
This marks a decisive shift away from the post-war principle of iron-clad protection. Furthermore, the strategy signals Washington's 'core interest' in negotiating an 'expeditious cessation of hostilities in Ukraine,' a position many European capitals believe would favour Russia and undermine Kyiv's sovereignty.
The message to the European continent is that the 'days of the United States propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over,' forcing European leaders to face the prospect of a much weaker security umbrella.
The Rise of Populist Alignment
The NSS's open embrace of Europe's far-right elements is perhaps its most provocative and strategic element. The document speaks positively of the 'growing influence of patriotic European parties,' essentially giving a high-level endorsement to anti-immigration and Eurosceptic movements across the continent.
By calling to 'cultivate resistance' to the EU's trajectory, Washington is attempting to use its geopolitical influence to steer European domestic politics.
A more extended, unpublished version reportedly goes further, identifying Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Poland as nations the US should try to 'pull away' from the European Union.
Many Brussels officials see this move as a blatant effort to destabilise the European project and fracture the continent's unity.
The overall strategy, therefore, is not merely a critique but a roadmap for advancing a shared illiberal ideology with key political allies in Europe, confirming for many that the US now views the EU more as a political adversary to be co-opted than a democratic partner to be supported.
The result is a dangerous asymmetry where European allies face less US protection alongside increased political pressure from Washington.
