<p>This paper explores how Donald Trump’s presidency and the broader repositioning of the United States in global affairs, have become a driving force reshaping EU governance. The paper argues that Trump functions less as an anomaly than as a catalyst, accelerating Europe’s confrontation with unresolved questions of defense, foreign policy, and political coordination. The analysis examines three interrelated dynamics: the rebalancing of the transatlantic relationship, where conditional American security commitments have spurred EU and national initiatives; the evolving German role in EU defense, particularly rearmament dilemmas; and the emergence of a political nucleus for European defense and foreign policy through intergovernmental and minilateral cooperation. These dynamics suggest that Europe may be entering a post-American phase, not defined by rupture but by the potential – today still unfulfilled – for a rebalanced partnership with Washington and a more autonomous role in a multipolar international order.</p>