Transforming the Industrial Heartlands: a Transatlantic Initiative

The first thirteen months of President Biden’s tenure saw the transatlantic partnership go on a compressed rollercoaster ride reminiscent of the Obama years: an early honeymoon phase of hope and optimism, ending abruptly with a string of setbacks and misunderstandings—in this case, the precipitous US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the AUKUS submarine deal in late 2021— only to be forgotten as the alliance rallied with admirable resolve and resilience in the face of Russian military aggression directed at Ukraine. Business as usual in the transatlantic partnership? Yes and no. Although the solidarity demonstrated by the transatlantic alliance is both gratifying and reassuring, it is hardly cause for complacency. The three decades since the end of the ColdWar, and especially the four years of the Trump Administration, left their mark on the foundations of the relationship. Ongoing efforts to repair and strengthen US-European relations across a broad range of issues will continue to be halting and painstaking, not simply due to the complexity of the challenges but also because of new domestic political realities. In Europe, elites and mass publics are more skeptical of the staying power of US global leadership and more willing to hedge against the possible return of the America First agenda after 2024. Many European governments are under pressure as domestic politics