The transatlantic alliance is fracturing in real-time. In a blistering address to diplomats at the Élysée Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron accused the United States under Donald Trump of "breaking free from international rules" and treating its oldest allies with disdain.

Macron’s comments, coordinated with similar warnings from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, mark a low point in Western relations. The European leaders are reacting to Washington’s unilateral military action in Venezuela and its withdrawal from climate treaties, actions they view as a return to the "law of the jungle."

Europe Goes It Alone?

Macron called for greater "European strategic autonomy," arguing that the continent can no longer rely on an erratic American security umbrella. He warned that the world risks becoming a "robber’s den" where powerful nations carve up smaller ones without consequence.

• The Trigger: The US raid on Caracas was the breaking point. Europe views it as a violation of sovereignty that sets a dangerous precedent for Russia and China.
• Trade Wars: With Trump threatening new tariffs on European goods, the economic partnership is also under strain. Macron urged the EU to prepare countermeasures.
• The African Angle: A split West offers African nations more maneuvering room but also more uncertainty. If Europe and the US are pulling in different directions, the unified donor front that often dictates policy in Nairobi will crumble.

The End of the West?

Macron’s speech was not just a critique; it was a eulogy for the post-WWII order. "The West we knew is fading," he seemed to say. For the rest of the world, the question is: what comes next?