A timeline of how the US and Europe have been at odds

The current dispute between the United States and Europe over Greenland’s future marks just the latest chapter in a complex history of trans-Atlantic tensions. Despite being steadfast allies since World War II, the relationship between America and European nations has weathered several significant diplomatic crises that have tested the resilience of their partnership.

In 1956, the Suez Crisis emerged as one of the earliest major post-war rifts when France, the United Kingdom, and Israel invaded Egypt to overthrow President Gamal Abdel Nasser and regain control of the Suez Canal. The United States, concerned about Cold War implications, applied substantial diplomatic and economic pressure to halt the operation. This American intervention severely damaged relations with London and Paris and symbolized Europe’s declining global influence in the post-colonial era.

During the Vietnam War, most European nations offered diplomatic support to the United States but stopped short of committing troops, with France being a notable exception by withholding even diplomatic backing. The conflict sparked massive anti-war demonstrations across European cities, creating a political dilemma for governments caught between maintaining alliance solidarity and responding to growing public opposition. These tensions placed significant strain on trans-Atlantic cooperation throughout the conflict.

The early 1980s brought the Euromissile crisis, when the Soviet Union’s deployment of SS-20 missiles capable of rapidly striking Western European targets prompted NATO to counter with U.S. Pershing nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. This escalation triggered widespread fear of a new nuclear arms race, resulting in massive peace demonstrations across European capitals. Protesters frequently directed their anger at Washington, reflecting growing public anxiety about American military policy on European soil.

Perhaps the most pronounced modern rupture occurred in 2003 with the U.S. invasion of Iraq. When France and Germany refused to support President George W. Bush’s military action against Saddam Hussein’s regime, a serious diplomatic breach ensued. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismissively labeled these nations as “Old Europe” while praising more supportive Eastern European countries as “New Europe,” creating lasting resentment among traditional allies.

America’s “war on terror” introduced additional friction through its controversial extraordinary rendition program, whereby terror suspects were captured—sometimes through what amounted to kidnapping—and transferred to locations where they could be interrogated and often tortured beyond the reach of U.S. law. Though some European governments initially cooperated with this program, mounting public outrage eventually forced leaders to publicly condemn these practices.

More recently, President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025 dramatically altered U.S. policy toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trump’s warm rhetoric toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, coupled with a notable coolness toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and significant reductions in military aid to Kyiv, alarmed European leaders who view Ukraine’s sovereignty as essential to their own security interests.

The Trump administration further strained relations by releasing a national security strategy in December that characterized European allies as weak and unreliable. The document criticized their migration and free speech policies and even suggested they face “the prospect of civilizational erasure”—language that deeply concerned European capitals.

Trade tensions escalated in July when Trump threatened Europe with punitive tariffs, initially announcing a 30% tariff on goods from the 27-nation European Union—America’s largest trading partner. After negotiations, both sides agreed to a trade framework establishing a more moderate 15% tariff on most goods, though the episode further damaged the economic relationship.

As the current dispute over Greenland unfolds, it does so against this backdrop of periodic but significant disagreements that have defined the sometimes turbulent alliance between the United States and Europe. Despite these challenges, the trans-Atlantic partnership has demonstrated remarkable durability, continually finding ways to manage differences while maintaining cooperation on critical shared interests.