#GLOBSEC2020 Bratislava Forum: U.S. Elections Countdown. What Does It Mean for Europe?

Habsburg stage - Day 1, 17.50 - 18.20

The 2020 presidential elections are taking place during a time of extreme partisan tension and political unrest in the United States, in part fueled by President Trump’s polarizing policies for addressing the ongoing pandemic, racial inequality, and an empty Supreme Court seat. The foreign policy realm will also bring unique challenges for the next US president, who will have to make strategic decisions that will likely reshape the transatlantic relationship, for better or worse. Some predict that Biden’s strategy will focus on repairing and revitalizing the US’s relationship with EU partners even though as Vice President, he supported Obama’s agenda for turning Eastward. On the other hand, President Trump has made his distaste for multilateralism abundantly clear by withdrawing from key international agreements and organizations. However, it is possible that Trump’s antagonistic policies toward the EU will abate once he has secured a second term, especially if his criticism of European leadership is primarily motivated by a desire to mobilize domestic support. Regardless of the outcome, the upcoming US elections will have a profound effect on Europe. From security to trade, from human rights to multilateralism or climate change, the United States and Europe will eventually need to find a way of renewing their relationship after November.

What has each candidate proposed for his foreign policy agenda in Europe? If elected, would Trump maintain the status quo and continue to alienate EU partners? What can be learned about Biden’s potential strategy for Europe from his tenure as Vice President? Which EU members will be most affected by a reorientation of US policy in Europe? How will the US-CEE relationship look like after November elections?

Speakers:

Joe Pounder, CEO, Bullpen Strategy Group, Washington D.C.
Torrey Taussig, Research Director, Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA

Led by:
Alex Martin, Head of Brussels Office, GLOBSEC, Brussels