In this medieval city just east of Brussels, American and European officials have one question on their minds: What to do about Donald Trump?
Over a two-day summit this week focused on trade and technology, the likes of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and European Commission trade czar Valdis Dombrovskis will flaunt the rekindled transatlantic friendship.
According to a draft communiqué seen by POLITICO, they will announce joint support for next generation telecommunication and semiconductor projects. They will champion so-called sustainable trade practices and stronger links around transatlantic supply chains. And they will coordinate more closely on artificial intelligence standards to push back against China and corral new forms of the technology made famous by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Yet, privately, European Union and United States officials acknowledge this week’s gathering of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council, or TTC, has become a hostage to fortune.
That’s a stopgap measure. The root problem is the electorate and I’m really not sure how to fix that.
Perhaps the best way to “Trump proof” the transatlantic relationship is to accept that the transatlantic relationship is not an immutable fact of nature and be ready for it to maybe fall apart someday.