Ashhar Alam | New Delhi

Nearly five years after President Joe Biden assured Europe that “America is back,” former President Donald Trump’s aggressive foreign policy has shaken transatlantic ties, leaving future US leaders with a more difficult path to repair relations.

Trump’s actions, including his high-profile threat to take over Greenland and sharp criticisms of NATO allies, have unsettled Europe and prompted leaders to explore independent strategies.

He called Denmark “ungrateful” for World War II protection, shared images of himself planting the US flag in Greenland, and warned that Europe was “not heading in the right direction,” while hinting that “sometimes you need a dictator.” Although he later proposed a vague Arctic security framework, details remain limited.

Observers say these moves have weakened trust in the US. Jon Finer, former deputy national security adviser under Biden, noted that allies now see US support as unpredictable and dependent on short presidential terms.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and European leaders, including Emmanuel Macron and Bart De Wever, voiced concerns over the “rules-based order” and warned against unilateral US actions.

The EU recently signed a free trade deal with Mercosur, seen partly as a response to Trump-era tensions.

Even right-leaning European figures, such as Nigel Farage and Jordan Bardella, criticized Trump’s Greenland threats, calling them hostile and tantamount to “commercial blackmail.”

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In the US, Congressional Republicans mostly backed or stayed silent, while Democrats, including Rep. Gregory Meeks and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, warned that rebuilding trust will require sustained political consistency and more measured diplomacy.

Experts warn that future administrations Democrat or Republican may struggle to restore America’s standing, as allies increasingly hedge against unpredictability and assert more independent foreign policies.