Even in recent history, things were not quite so bad for the transatlantic relationship. The current tensions make the first Trump administration look like a walk in the park for Europeans. Even if Trump were to vanish, it’s hard to see the transatlantic relationship reverting to that shared sense of kinship that characterised it in past decades. The transatlantic relationship can no longer be assumed to be based on shared values and identities. In this scenario, Europe should also pursue the proposal to build an alternative international trading system to the World Trade Organization, without the US.