Trump And The Revival Of The Soviet Dream: How Trump Is Implementing The Failed Soviet Project – OpEd

One of the Soviet Union’s strategic goals during the Cold War was to create a rift between the United States and Western Europe. The logic behind this was simple: divide and rule. A fractured alliance would weaken NATO, diminish the political and economic power of the West, and create vital space for Soviet influence and expansion in Europe and beyond. To achieve this, the Kremlin invested heavily in propaganda tools, espionage, and political sabotage—yet it ultimately failed to reach its objectives.

However, in the 21st century, a controversial figure appears to be fulfilling this Soviet dream— not a Kremlin agent this time, but none other than Donald Trump, the President of the United States. Trump’s policies and rhetoric, more than ever, are driving a wedge between America and Europe—something the Soviets could never achieve. Whether this is intentional or simply a byproduct of his “America First” doctrine is unclear, but the result is the same: the deepest transatlantic rift since World War II.

One of the core pillars of Soviet strategy was to undermine NATO, the greatest deterrent against Moscow. Throughout the Cold War, Soviet officials worked tirelessly to create divisions within NATO, yet the alliance remained intact—even after the Soviet Union’s collapse. However, during Trump’s presidency—both in his first term and more radically in his second—he has actively targeted NATO’s cohesion from within. By dismissing America’s presence in NATO as unnecessary and even “stupid,” Trump has threatened to abandon allies who do not increase their financial contributions, openly questioning the collective defense commitment enshrined in Article 5. In doing so, he has effectively handed Moscow one of its long-sought victories.

Beyond undermining America’s security alliances in Europe, Trump has also targeted transatlantic economic cooperation. His trade wars have not been limited to China; they have also struck at America’s European allies. Imposing tariffs on European steel and aluminum under the guise of “national security” and threatening higher tariffs on the European automotive industry have created major economic tensions between the U.S. and its traditional partners. Previous American presidents viewed Europe as an economic partner; Trump, however, sees it as a competitor.

Trump has also attacked the very foundations of the European Union. The EU, originally built on a Kantian vision of peace—centered on cooperation and overcoming divisions—now faces Trump’s full-fledged support for nationalist and anti-EU movements across the continent. His support for Brexit, backing of far-right figures such as Marine Le Pen in France and Matteo Salvini in Italy, and Elon Musk’s efforts to rebrand Germany’s far-right AfD all align with a broader hostility toward the European Union—ultimately aimed at deepening internal divisions within the continent.

The United States, which rose to global superpower status through the devastation of two world wars that weakened European nations, may now see an opportunity to once again position itself as a savior—this time at the expense of Europe’s fragmentation. By increasing European dependency on the U.S.—a dependency that is already significant—Trump’s approach risks reducing Europe to a mere economic subordinate. This is further reflected in his view of European nations, such as Denmark, as inferior entities whose affairs he believes the U.S. should dictate, from determining their wars and peace to, if possible, even threatening their sovereignty or attempting to buy their territory.

In general, with the rise of Trump, it seems that the bipartisan cooperation and consensus on the necessity of preserving and strengthening transatlantic relations has been disrupted. The Soviet Union’s attempt to create a rift in the transatlantic alliance is now being effectively carried out by Trump. While Biden sought to rebuild the damaged relations with Europe after Trump’s first term, it appears that once again, a period of fear has begun in Europe. Europe, which is not only failing to defend its independence but is now, with Russia’s doping through Trump, seeing its dream of unity and security shattered more than ever before. Perhaps this is the final moment for Europe to wake up before its collapse. To achieve this, it is essential for Germany and France, as the two main pillars of the Union, to rise again and once and for all consider their strategic independence from the United States, or otherwise spend the next four years in fear of losing everything.