Beyond tanks and tariffs: Europe’s culture war with Trump’s America

Описание: It’s no longer just about trade or NATO — Trump’s America is challenging Europe’s very values and identity.

It is backing like-minded allies across the EU, questioning Europe’s attachment to freedom and democracy, and eager to cast the continent as small, dependent, and immature. Ultimately, it seeks to remake Europe, and the West, in the MAGA image.

Europe has strong cards to play — but only if it is willing to leave its comfort zones.

This event marks the launch of the European Sentiment Compass 2025, an annual project by ECFR and the European Cultural Foundation. Following last year’s widely discussed Welcome to Barbieland, the 2025 edition examines European sentiment under Trump’s second presidency — and makes the case for why Europe must fight the culture war being waged against it.

Together with our guests, we will ask: what would it take for Europe not just to fight this war — but to win it?

Guests
Keynote: Sabine Verheyen, Vice President, European Parliament

Speakers
● Caroline de Gruyter, European Affairs Correspondent, NRC Handelsblad
● Brando Benifei, Member, European Parliament
● Constanze Itzel, Museum Director, House of European History
● André Wilkens, Director, European Cultural Foundation
● Pawel Zerka, Senior Policy Fellow, ECFR

Chaired by
Sarah Wheaton, Chief Policy Correspondent, Politico

23 September 2025, 16:00 – 18:00 , Berlin time (CEST, UTC+2)
Venue: House of European History, Rue Beillard 135, 1040 Brussels

Photo credit: Chris Marchal

Chapters

00:00 Welcome from Constanze Itzel
04:45 Welcome from André Wilkens
08:45 Keynote from Sabine Verheyen
20:00 The Sentiment Compass, Pawel Zerka
29:40 Reflection on the Sentiment Compass with Brando Benifei
38:59 Panel Discussion

Read the Sentiment Compass 2025 here: https://ecfr.eu/publication/reality-s...