Trump's world order hangs over Europe on eve of key defence conference

One year after JD Vance's controversial Munich Security Conference speech criticizing European policies, the annual gathering convenes amid unprecedented strain in US-European relations under the Trump administration. The White House has imposed tariffs on allies, pursued territorial claims including Greenland from NATO member Denmark, and published a National Security Strategy calling for Europe to assume primary responsibility for its own defense while supporting groups hostile to current European governments. Although intelligence officials maintain the transatlantic alliance remains functional and benefits both sides, Trump's unpredictability and administration rhetoric have created genuine uncertainty about whether the United States would honor NATO's Article 5 mutual defense commitment if Russia attacked a member state.