The administration of US President Donald Trump has intensified its recent criticism of Europe, framing a controversial national security strategy as a necessary attempt to shock its long-standing ally back to economic vitality.
A Warning, Not an Insult: US Clarifies Its Stance
On Monday, Jacob Helberg, the US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, addressed reporters to explain the strategy document that caused uproar across European capitals last month. He stated the language used was a "warning, not an insult", born from growing concern in Washington about Europe's economic trajectory.
"There is a degree of alarm in Washington about the need for serious reforms in order to jolt the European economy back to life," Helberg said, speaking in September 2025. He emphasised that the US desires a strong Europe to preserve the historic transatlantic alliance, which has endured for over 70 years.
The Contentious Strategy and European Backlash
The US national security strategy had drawn fierce condemnation for its bleak assessment of Europe's future. It referenced threats of "civilisational erasure", linking migration and censorship to "strife", "cratering birthrates", and a "loss of national identities". Furthermore, its threat to interfere in European politics to oppose "elite-driven, anti-democratic restrictions on core liberties" was labelled unacceptable by European Council President António Costa.
Helberg argued the document was a direct response to what the US perceives as an economic crisis and crippling over-regulation in the bloc. The core of the proposed US solution is a drastic simplification and reduction of the European regulatory burden, which Washington believes would unleash talent, capital, and attract greater US investment.
Economic Realities and Trade Pressure
The economic data underscores the gap driving US concern. While the US economy grew at an annualised rate of 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025, European growth remains modest. The European Commission projects growth of just 1.4% for the bloc in 2025 and 1.5% in 2027.
Nationally, Germany recorded zero growth in Q3 2025, with forecasts of 1.3% in 2026. This comparative stagnation fuels the US stance. The administration has also linked its criticism to concrete trade demands, repeatedly threatening to maintain 50% steel tariffs on the EU unless the bloc rolls back tech legislation affecting US billionaires like Elon Musk.
Helberg concluded that the strategy's provocative language was ultimately a call to action, stressing that the US believes European revival is possible with the right, decisive reforms. The episode marks a significant and stark moment of diplomatic friction within the traditional Western alliance.
