Europeans call for greater independence: Support for U.S.
as Europe’s Top Ally Drops Sharply
Europe is rethinking its place in the world. After decades of close cooperation with the United States, nearly three in four EU citizens now say the Union should ‘go its own way’. A clear majority of Europeans do not see the U.S. as a trustworthy partner any longer. A year and a half into the Trump presidency, the share of respondents identifying the U.S. as Europe’s most valuable ally has fallen by 20 percentage points. While China fails to gain ground as an alternative partner, Europeans are recalibrating alliances within the West.
A new study by Bertelsmann Stiftung illustrates this shift.
Gütersloh/Berlin, May 7, 2026 – Ahead of this year’s Europe Day on May 9, Europeans are edging towards a strategic reset. A new study by Bertelsmann Stiftung, based on surveys conducted between September 2024 and March 2026, shows a continent willing to stand on its own feet. 73 percent of EU citizens now say the Union should go its own way after decades of close alignment with the United States; up from 63 percent in 2024. The shift cuts across all demographic groups, with particularly strong gains among older Europeans.
