European Leaders Must Denounce Trump's Assault on US Democracy, Says Paul Taylor.
European leaders have been eerily silent in their criticism of Donald Trump's trashing of democracy in the US. The silence has continued even as millions of Americans take to the streets to protest against his authoritarian drift at home. It's a concerning trend that must be addressed by those who value liberal democracy in Europe.
For months, European leaders have engaged in flattery, appeasement and wild promises to keep Trump engaged in European security. However, it seems that they are more interested in maintaining good relations with the US president rather than standing up for democratic values. No European leader has publicly contradicted Trump's inflated claims or criticised his demolition of the multilateral rules-based free trade order.
However, the situation is dire. Trump's assault on democracy has led to a crackdown on checks and balances in the US political system, the abolition of the USAID foreign aid agency, and the purging of the armed forces. The use of military force against peaceful protesters is also becoming increasingly common. This is an alarming trend that must be addressed.
European leaders have a duty to protect liberal democracy at home. They should be asserting their moral autonomy by signalling Europe's support for democracy in the US. By doing so, they can offer practical cooperation and moral support to states, cities, and courts that share their values.
The risk is growing that Trump will make good on his threat to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act and claim sweeping powers to use the military against American protesters. The last time the US military was used for domestic policing against demonstrations was under Richard Nixon in 1970, resulting in the deaths of four students at Kent State University.
European media must continue to criticise the use of force against peaceful protesters. Governments should also be more vocal in their condemnation of Trump's attacks on democracy. The silence from European leaders is not justifiable, especially when their own liberal democracies are under threat.
The time has come for European leaders to speak up and assert their moral autonomy. They must denounce Trump's assault on US democracy and offer support and practical cooperation to those who share their values. Anything less would be a betrayal of the fundamental values of liberal democracy that Europe stands for.
European leaders have been eerily silent in their criticism of Donald Trump's trashing of democracy in the US. The silence has continued even as millions of Americans take to the streets to protest against his authoritarian drift at home. It's a concerning trend that must be addressed by those who value liberal democracy in Europe.
For months, European leaders have engaged in flattery, appeasement and wild promises to keep Trump engaged in European security. However, it seems that they are more interested in maintaining good relations with the US president rather than standing up for democratic values. No European leader has publicly contradicted Trump's inflated claims or criticised his demolition of the multilateral rules-based free trade order.
However, the situation is dire. Trump's assault on democracy has led to a crackdown on checks and balances in the US political system, the abolition of the USAID foreign aid agency, and the purging of the armed forces. The use of military force against peaceful protesters is also becoming increasingly common. This is an alarming trend that must be addressed.
European leaders have a duty to protect liberal democracy at home. They should be asserting their moral autonomy by signalling Europe's support for democracy in the US. By doing so, they can offer practical cooperation and moral support to states, cities, and courts that share their values.
The risk is growing that Trump will make good on his threat to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act and claim sweeping powers to use the military against American protesters. The last time the US military was used for domestic policing against demonstrations was under Richard Nixon in 1970, resulting in the deaths of four students at Kent State University.
European media must continue to criticise the use of force against peaceful protesters. Governments should also be more vocal in their condemnation of Trump's attacks on democracy. The silence from European leaders is not justifiable, especially when their own liberal democracies are under threat.
The time has come for European leaders to speak up and assert their moral autonomy. They must denounce Trump's assault on US democracy and offer support and practical cooperation to those who share their values. Anything less would be a betrayal of the fundamental values of liberal democracy that Europe stands for.
this is so worrying, europeans are being super quiet about trump's crazy actions 
his behaviour is basically dictatorship mode and it's not right 
he's attacking checks & balances, aid agencies and even using force on protesters 
what kind of leader does that? 
european leaders need to speak up ASAP 
we can't just sit back and let him ruin democracy over there 
European leaders need to step up and show some serious backbone, you know? They're just standing there like deer in headlights while Trump is basically dismantling the US democratic system. It's not just about America, it's about all of us who care about liberal democracy. We can't let them get away with this silence - it's like they're complicit or something 
. We gotta stand up for what's right, even if it's hard.
I'm getting really worried about this whole situation... it seems like European leaders are just going through the motions, not doing anything to actually stand up to Trump's antics 
.
. The guy's been trashing democracy in the US for months now and nobody's doing anything about it 
. They can't just sit back and let Trump do whatever he wants without speaking out 
.
. European leaders need to speak up and call out Trump's actions - it's not just about being critical, it's about standing up for what's right. The fact that they're remaining silent is really concerning 
. We need leaders who are willing to stand up for democracy and human rights. It's not just about the US - when liberal democracies are under threat, we all lose 
.
. I mean, it's one thing when we're talking about a hypothetical dictator back home, but when it comes to someone like Trump who's actually in power... it's a whole different story 
. European leaders need to speak up and show some backbone - all that silent treatment is not going to cut it! 
They gotta take a stand against Trump's crazy policies and offer some support to the people who are fighting back. And btw, the 1807 Insurrection Act? That sounds super dodgy 
It's not like he's making this stuff up, the man's got a track record of undermining liberal values 
And what really gets my goat is that Europe's been more interested in buttering him up than standing up for democracy 
Like, what if standing up to Trump in public makes Europe look weak or something? 
But, honestly, can we really afford to have no one speak out against this authoritarian stuff? 
Maybe it's time for them to take a stance, but what if that means going toe-to-toe with Trump in a public way? 
. I mean, millions of Americans r protesting against his authoritarian drift & they're still not gettin a clear stance from EU leaders 
. Anything less would b a total betrayal of liberal democracy 
!
It's not worth stirring up a controversy. Let's just let it play out, see what happens 
. We need to see some serious backlash from them, like calling out Trump's BS and offering support to those who share the same values 
. It's time for them to take a stand! 