GEU Podcast: What does President Biden mean for the EU-US relationship? – with Dr Dan S. Hamilton

“Well, I think Americans would be the first to welcome a more capable Europe – that's been a theme of American presidents back to John F. Kennedy.”

[The podcast is available on all of the usual channels, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.]

After four years of President Donald Trump, the United States of America appears considerably removed from Europe. In Brussels and in many European capitals, Trump’s legacy is characterised by an American rejection of longstanding multilateral commitments and institutions, and an “America first” policy, which in practice often meant frequent unfriendly moves against long-standing European allies.

Trump’s presidency has been described as a wakeup call – a cautionary example that Europe cannot be reliant on the US for its security and must become a geostrategic entity in its own right, independently responsible for the safety of its member states and the stability of its neighbourhood.

But today, with the inauguration of President Joe Biden, there is sense of excitement in Europe at the prospect of a new era of transatlantic relations. During the presidential election campaign, Biden often emphasised the importance of the United States working closely with European allies. So, with President Biden safely installed in the White House, are we to expect a new golden era for the transatlantic relationship?

In this episode of Global Europe Unpacked, I speak to Dr Dan S. Hamilton, the Director of the Global Europe Program at the Wilson Center (Washington DC) and former US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, about:

  • what a Biden presidency means for the EU-US relationship;
  • what the new administration’s foreign policy priorities look like, and how will these coincide with Europe’s own priorities and concerns;
  • how the Biden administration will perceive this desire of the EU to become a more geostrategically independent actor; and 
  • issues in the transatlantic relationship of the Trump era that we are likely to see carried over into the new administration.

It was also broadcast on Radio GIPA FM 94.3 in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Thursday 21 January at 16:00 local time (13:00CET).

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
The Gap between East and West Germany

The Gap between East and West Germany

There is still a wide gap between East and West Germany, writes Marcel Furstenau on the website of the German broadcaster, Deutsche Welle. There is still a wide gap, even amongst young people who have only ever lived in a unified country. The new commissioner for eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser, attempts to explain why. Elisabeth Kaiser is from Gera, in the eastern state of Thuringia. When the federal commissioner for eastern Germany was born in 1987, Germany was still divided. Two years later, the  Berlin Wall fell, and on October 3, 1990, the communist GDR  became history. "I did not consciously experience the period of reunification, but the stories of my parents and grandparents have shaped me," Kaiser wrote in an annual report presented in Berlin just in time for the 35th anniversary of German Unity Day. For the 38-year-old member of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) this is a first, as she has only been in office since May 2025, when the new federal government was formed.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
The Gap between East and West Germany

The Gap between East and West Germany

There is still a wide gap between East and West Germany, writes Marcel Furstenau on the website of the German broadcaster, Deutsche Welle. There is still a wide gap, even amongst young people who have only ever lived in a unified country. The new commissioner for eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser, attempts to explain why. Elisabeth Kaiser is from Gera, in the eastern state of Thuringia. When the federal commissioner for eastern Germany was born in 1987, Germany was still divided. Two years later, the  Berlin Wall fell, and on October 3, 1990, the communist GDR  became history. "I did not consciously experience the period of reunification, but the stories of my parents and grandparents have shaped me," Kaiser wrote in an annual report presented in Berlin just in time for the 35th anniversary of German Unity Day. For the 38-year-old member of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) this is a first, as she has only been in office since May 2025, when the new federal government was formed.