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Politico (30 October 2024)

By Barbara Moens, Nicholas Vinocur, Stuart Lau and Jacopo Barigazzi

Here’s a dirty little secret about the U.S. presidential election: Some European officials think a victory by former President Donald Trump could be what the European Union needs to muscle up on defense and get tough on China.

“The return of Trump would be a beneficial shock that will enable the EU to move forward, like the pandemic or the energy crisis following the war in Ukraine,” said one senior EU diplomat who, like others quoted in this article, was granted anonymity to speak freely.

This view, shared confidentially by several EU diplomats and EU officials, doesn’t stem from affection for the Republican candidate or his policy proposals. 

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