Hare Examines Trump’s European Stance
Paul Hare, Master Lecturer in International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and Interim Director of the Center for Latin American Studies
(CLAS), and a former British diplomat with 30 years of experience, including a stint as the British ambassador to Cuba from 2001 to 2004, has written an analysis of potential U.S.-European relations under a second Trump presidency.
In his article titled “An Ocean Between Us,” dated July 31, 2024, Hare examines the implications of Trump’s stance on Europe, NATO, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Trump maintains that Europe should help Ukraine more because they are closer to the site of the Russian invasion,”
Hare notes. He points out the irony in Trump’s position, given the former president’s extensive European heritage and family connections.
Hare highlights Trump’s criticism of NATO members not meeting the 2% GDP defense spending target.
“If the NATO countries can’t meet the 2% of GDP target set by NATO under the Obama administration at the 2014 Wales summit, then Trump says, ‘Putin can do whatever the hell he wants’ with the non-compliers,” Hare writes.
Drawing from his diplomatic experience, Hare provides context for the potential impact of Trump’s policies on transatlantic relations. He emphasizes the significant economic ties between the U.S. and Europe, arguing that a destabilized Europe would harm American exports and investments.
The former ambassador also examines Trump’s shift in business focus towards Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, suggesting this could influence his foreign policy priorities. “Trump’s foreign policy preferences are often determined by personalities rather than states,” Hare observes.
Hare concludes by offering advice for European leaders in dealing with a potential second Trump presidency. “If Trump becomes president, many European leaders already know how to deal with him. Call him to congratulate him. Encourage him to be a peacemaker and the one who counts in relations with Europe,” he suggests.
The full article can be accessed in its original source here.
Paul Webster Hare was a British diplomat for 30 years and the British ambassador to Cuba from 2001-04. He now teaches classes at Boston University on Diplomatic Practice, Arms Control, Intercultural Communication, and on Cuba in Transition. Learn more about him here.