Since beginning his second term in office, U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have taken swift actions to undermine the foundations of alliance and partnership between the United States and Europe. These efforts come at a critical moment in which the United States and Europe face significant transatlantic challenges that demand shared solutions—from security and migration to trade, climate, and digital governance.
Against this backdrop, frank dialogue is more crucial than ever. This joint report by the Center for American Progress and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) aims to demonstrate that the long-standing relationship between the United States and its European partners is stronger than one administration. It brings together 10 leading voices from the United States and Europe to offer perspectives on five of the most pressing issues shaping the future of the transatlantic alliance:
- Security: U.S. Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) draws on his military service to outline the enduring value of transatlantic cooperation in addressing traditional defense challenges, hybrid threats, and emerging domains such as cyberspace. Former Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde offers a European perspective on strategic autonomy and alliance building—and reflects on Sweden’s historic accession to NATO as a turning point for European security.
- Migration: Dan Restrepo, senior fellow at CAP and former senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council, offers a strategic vision for managing migration rooted in the national interest, economic pragmatism, and democratic values. Hedwig Giusto, senior research fellow at FEPS, explores the path toward a more coherent and values-based European migration framework—and warns that a narrow, security-driven approach will only strengthen the political winds powering the far right.
- Trade: Elizabeth Baltzan, former councilor for trade and investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the Biden administration, reflects on the limits of globalization and calls for new trade rules that strengthen democratic economies. Former Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomáš Petříček offers a European approach focused on strategic industries, resilience, and social fairness.
- Climate: Frances Colón, senior fellow for International Climate Policy at CAP and former deputy science and technology adviser to the U.S. secretary of state during the Obama administration, outlines a U.S. climate strategy grounded in environmental justice and innovation. Florian Ranft, executive board member at Das Progressive Zentrum, charts the EU’s path toward a green industrial transformation rooted in solidarity and long-term sustainability.
- Digital governance: Alondra Nelson, distinguished senior fellow at CAP and former deputy assistant to the president and acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Biden administration, highlights the need for digital governance that balances guardrails and responsible innovation. Member of the European Parliament Alex Saliba underscores the urgency of regulating this new frontier—and calls on the EU not to back down from that task.
Together, these essays underscore the continued relevance and necessity of U.S.–EU cooperation. They show that while the moment is turbulent, forging transatlantic commitment to overcoming challenges is possible—and urgent.
Acknowledgments
The National Security and International Policy team at CAP would like to thank Mike Williams and Ryan Mulholland for their exceptional expertise and stewardship of this project. We are also grateful to our colleagues and partners at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, including Anna Kolesnichenko, David Rinaldi, Vanessa Zwisele, Beatriz Abellán Merelo, and Thainá Leite, for their invaluable insights and project management. A special thank you also goes to Florian Ranft from Das Progressive Zentrum and Knut Panknin from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung for their thoughtful collaboration.
At CAP, we want to especially recognize our tremendous research assistants, Sadhana Mandala and Laura Kilbury, for their diligence, and the entire International Climate team—Courtney Federico, Kalina Gibson, and Frances Colón—for their support and contributions.
Many thanks as well to Mona Alsaidi and Audrey Juarez from CAP’s Legal team, and to the stellar Production and Editorial team for their keen eye and tremendous turnaround.
Of course, this report would not have been possible without the meaningful contribution of all of our authors. For this, we are most thankful.