European Union policy refers to the United States’ support of the European institution. The European Union comprises 27 European countries that have joined a political union to achieve common goals. The EU operates through democratic institutions and is founded on principles of democracy, rule of law, and human rights, while working to promote peace, prosperity, and cooperation among its member states.
While the United States is not a member, the two entities have a longstanding economic and political relationship. As the United States is not a part of the European Union (EU), neither political party has established an official stance on EU power or Brexit. However, separately from any official party stances, individual politicians have made statements on the European Union.
The Democratic Stance on the European Union
The Democratic Party’s political stance is in support of the European Union and its alliance. The democratic party platform emphasizes the importance of the U.S. alliance with Europe during President Biden’s administration, highlighting its role in responding to geopolitical crises. For example, the platform notes that European allies are instrumental in defending principles of sovereignty and deterring further Russian aggression during the invasion of Ukraine. Democrats also view cooperation with Europe as essential for managing competition with China and for working on emerging political and economic challenges.
Additionally, democratic politicians usually speak in favor of the EU. Former President Obama expressed his disagreement with Brexit when the United Kingdom held a referendum that resulted in the UK leaving the EU. He believed that the UK economy would be better off staying in the EU due to the economic and political benefits of the European Union.
Democratic Senator Murphy has spoken to news outlet rfi that he believes the U.S. and EU partnership is crucial for facing current global challenges as they are partners in defending democracy, countering China’s economic influence, developing and advancing technology, and maintaining international security.
This pro-EU sentiment is also reflected in the party’s voter base. Polling by the Pew Research Center shows that a large majority, 80% of liberals, hold a positive view of the EU.
The Republican Stance on the European Union
The Republican Party’s political stance on the European Union is characterized by deep skepticism and, at times, a more adversarial perspective. While the GOP platform does not mention its foreign policy stance regarding Europe, prominent Republicans usually speak against the EU.
A key figure in this perspective is President Donald Trump, who has been openly critical of the EU. Trump has explicitly called the European Union a “foe” due to what he perceives as unfair trade practices. President Trump has also tweeted his support for Brexit on several occasions. He has even stated that the EU was created to “screw the United States” and that the EU is “worse than China” due to commercial imbalances. This view is rooted in the “America First” republican philosophy that prioritizes U.S. economic interests above international cooperation.
Beyond trade, Trump and his supporters disagree with the EU’s political and social agenda. They often criticize the EU for being overly bureaucratic, regulatory, and too liberal in its stance on issues such as climate change. Republicans also take issue that European nations do not contribute enough to their own military defense and rely too heavily on the U.S. for security. This was made evident by Europe’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This stance toward the EU is also apparent in Republican voter sentiment. Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that only around 4 in 10 (43%) of conservatives view the EU positively compared to 8 in 10 (80%) of liberals.
A Brief History of the European Union
The European Union’s political purpose stems from the aftermath of World War II, as Europe was devastated by the conflict.
Several Western European countries desired closer economic, social, and political ties to achieve economic growth, military security, and promote democracy. As a result, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951 to prevent future wars by managing coal and steel industries under common management.
In 1957, the Treaty of Rome expanded this economic cooperation beyond coal and steel, creating the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC removed trade customs duties and promoted a single market, leading to significant economic growth. As dictatorial and communist regimes were toppled throughout the 1970s–1980s, democracy spread in Europe, and six new countries joined the EEC by the end of the 80s.
The 1990s to the early 2000s were a period of major reform for EU policies. The 1993 Maastricht Treaty officially established the European Union from the EEC. The treaty also set rules for a future single currency, a foreign and security policy, and closer cooperation in justice and home affairs. Building off the Maastricht Treaty, the 1999 Treaty of Amsterdam gave the EU more resources for employment, expanded the rights of citizens, and strengthened the European Union’s political system. Lastly, the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007 set out to make the EU more democratic, efficient, and transparent in order to tackle global challenges like climate change, security, and sustainable development.
Since then, the EU has contributed to peace in Europe, the stability of democracy, economic development, workers’ rights, and environmental protection. As of 2025, the European Union has 27 member states and continues to evolve.
United States relations with the European Union
Formal diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the EU began in 1953 with the U.S. sending diplomats to the ECSC. The relationship evolved as in 1995, the New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) was launched to promote four objectives for U.S. and EU collaboration: promoting peace, stability, democracy, and development around the world; responding to global challenges; expanding world trade and closer economic relations; and building transatlantic bridges. The U.S. and EU then entered into the Transatlantic Economic Partnership (TEP) in 1998. This partnership was to amplify the trade cooperative from the NTA by addressing bilateral and multilateral trade obstacles. It also established agreements on mutual recognition in goods and services.
Currently, the transatlantic relationship between the U.S. and the EU is essential to the world economy. Together, they represent almost 30% of global trade in goods and services and 43% of global GDP. This relationship also creates many jobs since US exports to the EU support 2.3 million jobs in the US, and EU companies’ investments in the US employ 3.4 million people. Beyond economics, the EU and the U.S. promote values such as democracy, peace, freedom, and rule of law, as well as tackling global security challenges such as terrorism, violent extremism, nuclear weapons proliferation, and transnational crime.
Recently, there has been tension in U.S policy toward the European Union due to President Trump’s administration. The EU does not agree with President Trump’s potential plan to concede to Russia in order to deal with the conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, Vice President JD Vance also stirred unrest when he accused European leaders of suppressing free speech and censorship.
What the Future Holds
The future of the U.S.-EU relationship will likely be shaped by the ongoing political discourse between the United States and the evolving geopolitical landscape. Despite the long-standing partnership, the difference in policy stance on the European Union between the two major U.S. political parties will continue to influence policy and public perception.
To compare political parties’ views on other key policy topics, visit Biasly’s full list of Political Party Policy Stances.
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