European leaders have been turning a blind eye to Donald Trump's assault on American democracy, opting for flattery and appeasement instead of speaking out against his authoritarian tendencies. What happened in America doesn't stay in America, and we're already seeing the consequences in Europe. The erosion of liberal values and freedoms is not limited to the US; it's a threat to European democracy as well.
For nine months, European leaders have been indulging Trump, swallowing unrealistic defence spending targets, unbalanced trade terms, and ignoring his dismantling of checks and balances in the US political system. No one has dared to publicly contradict his claims or criticise his assault on the multilateral rules-based free trade order, the United Nations, or his selective use of tariffs.
But it's time for European leaders to take a stand. The only criticism from European leaders was JD Vance's scathing attack on European democracy at the Munich security conference, where he accused US allies of suppressing free speech and retreated from fundamental values. It seems that some European leaders are finally waking up to the reality of Trump's domestic agenda, which is having far-reaching consequences for liberal democracy in Europe.
The fact that millions of Americans have taken to the streets to protest against Trump's authoritarian drift at home is a wake-up call for European leaders. They should be signalling their support for democracy in the US and defending it against those who are trying to undermine it. But, sadly, that hasn't happened yet.
Trump's attacks on the independence of the US civil service, judiciary, legal profession, media, and armed forces are unprecedented, and European leaders can no longer ignore them. By speaking out, they would be asserting the values of liberal democracy that they have a duty to preserve at home. This includes defending the rule of law, separation of powers, and protecting freedom of speech.
The silence from European leaders is not only an insult to American democracy but also a betrayal of their own values. If Elon Musk can use his social media platform to intervene in German elections in favour of far-right politicians, then surely we can make our voices heard in US politics too. We can offer support and practical cooperation to states, cities, and courts that share our values, moral support to freedom campaigners, and build partnerships on climate action, civil rights, and development assistance.
It's time for European leaders to take responsibility for defending liberal democracy in Europe and America alike. The consequences of their silence will be severe if they fail to act now.
For nine months, European leaders have been indulging Trump, swallowing unrealistic defence spending targets, unbalanced trade terms, and ignoring his dismantling of checks and balances in the US political system. No one has dared to publicly contradict his claims or criticise his assault on the multilateral rules-based free trade order, the United Nations, or his selective use of tariffs.
But it's time for European leaders to take a stand. The only criticism from European leaders was JD Vance's scathing attack on European democracy at the Munich security conference, where he accused US allies of suppressing free speech and retreated from fundamental values. It seems that some European leaders are finally waking up to the reality of Trump's domestic agenda, which is having far-reaching consequences for liberal democracy in Europe.
The fact that millions of Americans have taken to the streets to protest against Trump's authoritarian drift at home is a wake-up call for European leaders. They should be signalling their support for democracy in the US and defending it against those who are trying to undermine it. But, sadly, that hasn't happened yet.
Trump's attacks on the independence of the US civil service, judiciary, legal profession, media, and armed forces are unprecedented, and European leaders can no longer ignore them. By speaking out, they would be asserting the values of liberal democracy that they have a duty to preserve at home. This includes defending the rule of law, separation of powers, and protecting freedom of speech.
The silence from European leaders is not only an insult to American democracy but also a betrayal of their own values. If Elon Musk can use his social media platform to intervene in German elections in favour of far-right politicians, then surely we can make our voices heard in US politics too. We can offer support and practical cooperation to states, cities, and courts that share our values, moral support to freedom campaigners, and build partnerships on climate action, civil rights, and development assistance.
It's time for European leaders to take responsibility for defending liberal democracy in Europe and America alike. The consequences of their silence will be severe if they fail to act now.
. European leaders are literally kowtowing to him like he's some kind of dictatorial superhero 
. I mean, come on guys, you're basically enabling his authoritarian tendencies and setting a bad example for the rest of us 
. Meanwhile, Americans are out in the streets protesting and fighting for their rights – it's not cool that European leaders aren't taking sides or speaking out 
. We need to stand up for liberal democracy on both sides of the Atlantic, stat! 
I'm getting worried about the state of global politics... it's like we're living in a bad episode of 'The Twilight Zone'. All these European leaders just sitting back, doing Trump's bidding, and then wondering why US is going down the dark path? Newsflash: your actions have consequences! 
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Give me some substance over empty words any day! 
european leaders have been playing nice with trump all these months but its about time someone spoke out against his authoritarian vibes 
the fact that they're more worried about saving face than defending liberal democracy is just sad 
. If they're not speaking out against him, who will? It's not just about America, though - this is a threat to liberal values and freedoms everywhere 
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. If we can't trust our leaders to stand up for what's right, then how can we expect them to work together on these big problems? It's time for European leaders to take responsibility and defend liberal democracy - not just in Europe, but around the world 
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. They should be all in on defending democracy in the US and standing up against those trying to undermine it 
!