Much of the sense of European superiority towards America has long rested on an elitist belief that America is dominated by the wrong kind of voters.
Trump has no idea of foreign policy.” “Amateur diplomats.” “Trump privatises foreign policy.” These are the phrases echoing through German newsrooms and opinion columns—often accompanied by imagery that goes considerably further: Der Spiegel’s covers depicting Trump as Hitler or as a dictator are only the most prominent examples. The cumulative effect on public opinion has been measurable. A recent Allensbach survey found that German approval for cooperation with and trust in America had fallen dramatically, from 62% in 2020 to just 34%. A full 64% of respondents agreed that “Donald Trump disregards international rules and long-standing alliances, thereby bringing chaos to the world.”
