ECFR Report: Trump Waging Culture War in Europe

A joint ECFR/European Cultural Foundation report says President Trump is waging a transatlantic culture war to impose a MAGA agenda on Europe by backing like-minded parties and seeking to shift the ideological centre to the right while interfering in EU politics. The study warns Washington is reframing debates around free speech, migration, climate and 'wokeism,' and that tactics — including public humiliations over tariffs, NATO and Ukraine negotiations — are exemplified by Vice‑President J.D. Vance’s Munich speech. Despite these pressures, the report finds European belonging and pragmatic support for collective EU action remain strong, giving the bloc space to assert its identity and autonomy. European leaders and analysts warn that appeasement risks emboldening both Moscow and Trump’s allies; EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Putin is 'mocking' Trump’s peace efforts. The authors urge Europe to stop merely reacting to crises scripted by Washington and its allies and instead defend its values and strategic autonomy by writing its own political script.