December 13, 2025

What’s been chilling Europe’s Washington-based diplomats more: the seasonally frigid weather or the icy blasts of Trumpian disdain for America’s supposed transatlantic allies?

Hard to tell.

From the new U.S. National Security Strategy, characterized by the European Union’s former top diplomat Josep Borrell as “a declaration of political war,” to President Donald Trump’s scorn offered in an exclusive interview with POLITICO, it certainly hasn’t been a season of good cheer for Europe’s envoys.

After attending a handful of Christmas parties at European embassies this week, it was clear the mood is quite dour. It was as if the European Whos of Whoville have been watching aghast as the Grinch stole Christmas.

Read more:

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/12/13/trump-europe-embassy-parties-gloom-00689149