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On the exact day Donald Trump received a custom-made "peace prize" from his newest friend, FIFA president "Johnny" Infantino, his government released an equally ostentatious security policy document. This fairly brief paper is saturated with the essence of Trump and Trumpism. It opens with the characteristically humble assertion that the president has rescued "our nation – and the world – back from the edge of disaster and ruin."

Even though the document largely codifies the current actions and statements of Trump and his team, it must be taken as a serious caution for the world, and for the European continent in particular.

A Strategy of Intervention and Cultural Anxiety

The document espouses an assertive form of foreign-policy interference where the US clearly sets the goal of "promoting European greatness." Its language could have been lifted straight from addresses by the Hungarian Prime Minister during the so-called migration emergency of 2015-16: "We want Europe to stay European, to reclaim its civilizational self-assurance." More worryingly, the document states that Europe's "economic decline is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure."

The entire section dedicated to Europe is steeped in generations of European far-right ideology and propaganda. The EU and its migration policies are held responsible for "transforming the continent and causing conflict, suppression of free speech and suppression of dissent, cratering birthrates, and loss of sovereign identity and self-confidence." According to the document, if "current trajectories continue, the continent will be unrecognisable in 20 years or less. As such, it is not at all clear whether some European countries will have economic power and armed forces strong enough to be reliable allies." In fact, the Trump administration believes that "within a few decades at the latest, certain NATO members will become predominantly non-European."

"American diplomacy should continue to stand up for genuine democracy, freedom of expression, and unapologetic celebrations of European nations’ unique heritage and history."

Core Ideas of the Far Right

These points carry powerful echoes of two theories regarded as foundational for modern right-wing circles. The first is Oswald Spengler's "Der Untergang des Abendlandes," whose argument on the cyclical decline of civilizations was employed by the German far right to attack the "perversion" and "weakness" of the democratic Weimar Republic. The second is "Le Grand Remplacement," published in 2011 by French novelist Renaud Camus, who transformed long-existing "native" fears into a more overt conspiratorial narrative, accusing European elites of using immigration to replace rebellious "native" populations and import a more docile and reliant electorate.

It is the nationalist fantasy encapsulated in both ideas that gives the Trump administration the authority, if not the obligation, to interfere in European affairs, the document suggests. And it is evident where it sees its allies: "America urges its political allies in Europe to advance this resurgence of national spirit, and the increasing clout of patriotic European parties in fact gives cause for great optimism."

The Goal: "Make Europe Great Again"

Put simply, the US believes that it is key to its national security to "Restore European strength," and that the European far right is the sole movement that can accomplish this. Consequently, its "overarching strategy for Europe" focuses on "fostering opposition to Europe’s present path within European nations" – meaning the far right – and "strengthening the robust nations of central, eastern, and southern Europe" – in particular "aligned countries that want to reclaim their past glory" – a clear reference to Hungary and Italy.

While the document remains unclear on methods, it is apparent that a priority is to push Europe to adopt a sweeping policy on freedom of speech, closer to the US model – especially regarding right-wing speech – and not just on social media. Another is to normalise relations with Russia; or, as the document calls it, to "reestablish strategic stability with Russia." Although the country is not explicitly called a future ally, the Trump administration clearly does not regard Russia as an enemy either.

An Ideological Blueprint: The Monroe Doctrine

In a wider context, the national security strategy draws its ideas less from the glorified US of the 1950s and more from the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. Articulated by President James Monroe, this cautioned European powers not to interfere in the "Americas," which he proclaimed to be the US’s zone of influence. The Trump administration’s policy document promises to "implement a Trump addition" to the Monroe Doctrine, which entails the US "enlisting" countries worldwide that wish to help safeguard US national interests.

None of this is entirely new – consider JD Vance’s speech at the 2025 Munich Security Conference, where the vice-president launched an ideological attack on Europe’s democratic model. But perhaps now that it is laid out in an formal document, European leaders will at last realize that the stance is serious. And if the document is too lengthy or imprecise for them, it can be condensed in plain and concise terms: the current US government believes that its national security is best served by the demise of liberal democracy in Europe. To put it bluntly, the US is not only an reluctant ally; it is a willing adversary. It is time to act accordingly.