Europeans push back at US over claim they face ‘civilizational erasure’

As of February 2026, the primary differences between the MAGA-led U.S. administration and European Union (EU) leaders center on the following core areas:

1. Foreign Policy & Security

 

    MAGA: Promotes "Flexible Realism," prioritizing direct U.S. interests over long-term alliances. This includes pushing for a "Western Hemisphere power" model where Europe takes on the primary burden for its own continental security.

    EU Leaders: Seek to maintain the liberal world order based on predictable rules and multilateral institutions. Leaders like German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are increasingly pushing for "Strategic Autonomy"—including a proposed EU military force of 100,000—to reduce dependence on "American whim".

 

2. Trade & Economy

 

    MAGA: Favors protectionism and aggressive bilateral bargaining. The administration recently implemented a 15% tariff on most EU industrial exports while pressuring the EU to commit hundreds of billions of euros to U.S. energy and AI chips.

    EU Leaders: Generally advocate for free trade and multilateralism, though they have recently begun exploring retaliatory tariffs and "economic bazookas" (like the Anti-Coercion Instrument) to counter U.S. pressure.

 

3. Social Values & Governance

 

    MAGA: Publicly criticizes EU leaders for "civilizational decline," irresponsible migration, and censorship of free speech. The U.S. is reportedly funding MAGA-aligned think tanks in Europe to challenge the EU's internal political status quo.

 

    EU Leaders: Emphasize social safety nets, worker rights, and stricter regulations on technology and hate speech. EU officials, such as Kaja Kallas, have pointedly noted that press freedom remains higher in the EU than in the current U.S. climate.

 

4. Climate Change

 

    MAGA: Is described by some European leaders as fundamentally "anti-climate change" in its policy undercurrent.

    EU Leaders: View the Green Deal and climate action as core to their identity and future economic strategy, often leading to friction when the U.S. ignores international climate commitments.

“A top European Union official has rejected the notion that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” pushing back at criticism of the continent by the Trump administration

 

MUNICH (AP) — A top European Union official on Sunday rejected the notion that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” pushing back at criticism of the continent by the Trump administration.

 

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference a day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a somewhat reassuring message to European allies. He struck a less aggressive tone than Vice President JD Vance did in lecturing them at the same gathering last year but maintained a firm tone on Washington’s intent to reshape the trans-Atlantic alliance and push its policy priorities.

 

Kallas alluded to criticism in the U.S. national security strategy released in December, which asserted that economic stagnation in Europe “is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure.” It suggested that Europe is being enfeebled by its immigration policies, declining birth rates, “censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition” and a “loss of national identities and self-confidence.”

 

“Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilizational erasure,” Kallas told the conference. “In fact, people still want to join our club and not just fellow Europeans,” she added, saying she was told when visiting Canada last year that many people there have an interest in joining the EU.

 

Kallas rejected what she called “European-bashing.”

 

“We are, you know, pushing humanity forward, trying to defend human rights and all this, which is actually bringing also prosperity for people. So that’s why it’s very hard for me to believe these accusations.”

 

In his conference speech, Rubio said that an end to the trans-Atlantic era “is neither our goal nor our wish,” adding that “our home may be in the Western hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.”

 

He made clear that the Trump administration is sticking to its guns on issues such as migration, trade and climate. And European officials who addressed the gathering made clear that they in turn will stand by their values, including their approach to free speech, climate change and free trade.

 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that Europe must defend “the vibrant, free and diverse societies that we represent, showing that people who look different to each other can live peacefully together, that this isn’t against the tenor of our times.”

 

“Rather, it is what makes us strong,” he said.

 

Kallas said Rubio’s speech sent an important message that America and Europe are and will remain intertwined.

 

“It is also clear that we don’t see eye to eye on all the issues and this will remain the case as well, but I think we can work from there,” she said.”