The Transatlantic Crucible: Why the Crisis Between Washington and Europe May Be a Blessing in Disguise

Eighteen months into his second U.S. presidential term, it may appear that Donald Trump has permanently altered his country’s relationships with its transatlantic allies... - David V. Gioe

Yet as bleak as the present state of the transatlantic alliance might look, it is also forcing a long-overdue transformation that could ultimately leave the alliance more capable and more balanced than it was before...

• For beneath the mayhem and discord lies a counterintuitive possibility: the very crisis Trump created is forcing U.S. allies to develop military and intelligence capabilities that could eventually make Washington’s partnerships stronger than ever. 
• The truth is that for decades, the transatlantic relationship had a real free-rider problem. 

Most European officials will concede that Trump’s second-term behavior—along with the rising threat from Russian revanchism—has finally convinced them to try to stand on their own feet in military and intelligence matters...