Europe Under Trump: Strategic Challenges and Opportunities with Rosa Balfour

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, Ivan Vejvoda hosts Rosa Balfour, Director of Carnegie Europe, for a deep discussion on the implications of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency for Europe. They explore how Europe has adjusted—or failed to adjust—since Trump’s initial term, focusing on key challenges in trade, defense, and foreign policy. Balfour outlines the vulnerabilities Trump’s policies exploit, including Europe’s dependence on the US for security and energy and its fragmented approach to strategic autonomy.

Rosa Balfour is the director of Carnegie Europe, specializing in European politics, institutions, and foreign and security policy. Her current research examines the interplay between domestic politics and Europe's global role. In addition to her role at Carnegie Europe, Balfour serves as an advisor to Women in International Security Brussels (WIIS-Brussels) and is an associate fellow at LSE IDEAS. She is also an honorary patron of the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and was appointed to the Scientific Advisory Council of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in 2024.