The publication of the United States’ new National Security Strategy has stirred unease across Europe, amid reports that Washington may be seeking to deepen divisions within the European Union by cultivating closer ties with select member states.
Released on December 4, 2025, the strategy — a document submitted by every new US administration to Congress — portrays Europe as a continent in decline, warning of “civilizational erasure” linked to migration policies and citing concerns over censorship, curtailed free speech and the suppression of political opposition.
European officials have widely interpreted the document as a sharp rebuke, particularly as trans-Atlantic relations have deteriorated since President Donald Trump returned to office in January, according to DW.COM
Controversy intensified after reports emerged of a longer, unpublished draft of the strategy. According to the Washington-based outlet Defense One, the draft allegedly singles out Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary as countries the US should “work more with” in an effort to “pull them away” from the EU. The White House has denied the existence of such a draft, but questions persist over Washington’s intentions.
Hungary’s inclusion has raised few eyebrows. Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintains close ties with Trump and has long positioned himself as a critic of Brussels.
Orban was the only EU leader to support Trump during his 2016 campaign, and the two have since cultivated a mutually beneficial political relationship.
Trump has openly praised Orban, and media reports suggest Hungary may have sought a $20 billion financial backstop from Washington as its economy struggles and EU funds remain frozen over rule-of-law concerns — a claim Trump has partly denied.
Italy’s presence on the list is more contentious. While Trump has expressed admiration for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing Brothers of Italy party, analysts argue Washington may be misreading Rome’s position.
Daniel Hegedüs of the German Marshall Fund notes that, despite ideological overlap with Orban, Meloni has adopted a pragmatic stance toward the EU and recognizes the bloc’s stabilizing importance for Italy.
Austria and Poland round out the group, despite neither currently being governed by right-wing populists. Euroskeptic forces, however, remain influential.
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party emerged as the strongest force in the most recent elections and continues to lead opinion polls.
In Poland, conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the Law and Justice party, secured the presidency last summer. Observers believe Washington may see opportunities to expand its influence in both countries.
Notably absent from the reported draft are the Czech Republic and Slovakia, despite recent political shifts in both states toward populist and nationalist leadership.
According to Hegedüs, this omission reflects the ideological lens through which the Trump administration views Europe, favoring traditional right-populist allies over parties whose roots lie outside that spectrum.
Experts suggest the US goal is unlikely to be outright EU exits, but rather a gradual weakening of European integration by supporting governments willing to challenge Brussels. Signs of this approach are already evident.
Hungary has rejected EU plans to phase out Russian energy imports and recently secured a waiver from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas. Prime Minister Orban has vowed to challenge EU decisions in court while maintaining energy routes through Turkey.
Analysts warn that growing noncompliance with joint EU decisions could, over time, undermine the foundations of European unity — a trajectory that may align with Washington’s evolving strategic outlook.
