Trump‘s Transatlantic Policy: Change or Continuity?

“Trans-Atlantic relations are under immense pressure due to the policies of President Trump,” the European Council’s president, Donald Tusk wrote. Danish Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen claimed that NATO allies “live with uncertainty that Trump plays in a completely different way than the rest of us”. During his time in office Trump named NATO as “obsolete”, criticized US allies in Europe, put tariffs on European steel and aluminum exports. Meanwhile European countries started PESCO initiative, opened WTO case against the US, and at times started voicing opinions about “replacement of United states” (European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker). The paper aims to analyse Trump’s Transatlantic policy and assess how far it has gone from traditional US security policy. First, Transatlantic relations’ dynamics before Trump’s presidency is described. Second, Trump’s administration’s policy towards Transatlantic region is explored. How important is this region for Trump’s administration? Why? What is administration’s vision on Transatlantic relations? How this vision is transformed into policy practice? Third, Trump’s administration’s policy implications for Transatlantic region are analysed. Is Trump’s administration’s policy changing Transatlantic region and Europe as an international relations actor? Is European position towards the US and Transatlantic institutions changing? Finally, novelty in Trump’s Transatlantic policy is evaluated. The paper presents results of the qualitative research that is based on documents and discourse analysis, as well as interpretive problem analysis method.