Center for European Studies

Anderson 216

David Armitage
US Department of State Bureau of Intelligence & Research

The transatlantic alliance is under stress from pressures within Europe: Brexit, the migration crisis and the relationship with Russia all defy a common approach. In addition, President Trump’s statements indicate a desire on the part of the US to play a less directly engaged role in European affairs. Despite this, however, crises in the European Union generally generate more cohesiveness in the end, and there is considerable continuity in the transatlantic relationship that is often overlooked by those focused solely on the President’s statements.