America’s global standing has come under intense scrutiny owing to soaring debt and widening deficits. However, according to a prominent geopolitical analyst quoted in Fortune, the U.S.’s superpower status is closely linked to Europe’s security and the global power balance, and relinquishing it would disrupt both markets and strategic alliances.
A power shift away from the U.S. would threaten the network of military alliances and economic dependencies shaped after the Second World War. Meanwhile, a collapse in U.S.–Europe relations would magnify the threat from Russia and China. So, despite Donald Trump’s Greenland claim, the quid pro quo relationship needs to continue for the sake of economic health and defence cooperation, which many nations still depend on.
US needs Europe to maintain its superpower status, says analyst
Dan Alamariu, chief geopolitical strategist at Alpine Macro, quoted by Fortune, argued that Washington “literally can’t afford not to be a superpower” and that maintaining strong ties with NATO and its allies is crucial to preserving U.S. influence both militarily and economically.
“Without NATO and its major allies, the U.S. would struggle to maintain its globally dominant role,” the analyst stated, adding that opting out of these alliances could have “dire implications for the USD’s global role and its weak fiscal outlook.”
“When, for example, Russia goes to war, they go alone because they don’t have allies,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to Fortune. “When America goes to wars, a lot of us go with you, and we lose our people along the way. So that means that you also need us to be this superpower. Because if you look at the bigger picture in terms of economic might, China is a very, very powerful country.”
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This mutually beneficial relationship is further demonstrated by Europe’s ongoing role as a significant purchaser of U.S. Treasury debt. Despite discussions about defence costs and geopolitical disputes, there is “no broad evidence of European liquidation of U.S. assets,” and the American economy continues to draw in foreign investors.
This economic interdependence, in which European faith in U.S. debt helps shape American budget needs, exemplifies why U.S. strategists believe strong relations with Europe are critical to maintaining both military and economic primacy in the global arena.
Why does Europe need the US amid the Greenland takeover claim?
Recent tensions over Greenland have tested transatlantic ties, as U.S. interest in the Danish autonomous territory sparked diplomatic concern and spotlighted Europe’s reliance on American security architecture.
European leaders are increasingly debating their dependence on U.S. defence, especially after Trump’s provocative idea to subvert Greenland’s sovereign status reignited debates about Washington’s commitment to NATO protection.
In the face of persistent Russian threats and broader global uncertainty, European leaders reportedly emphasised a trend toward greater defence autonomy at the 2026 Munich Security Conference, while still recognising the strategic importance of U.S. support.
“The plausible and likely path is messy coexistence: periodic trade clashes, louder rhetoric, and gradual European autonomy at the margins, alongside continued alignment on Russia, nuclear deterrence, intelligence, and China policy,” Alamariu said.
Europe still lacks a fully autonomous military profile without U.S. backing. The reality is that NATO’s security framework relies heavily on American military strength. The geopolitical situation has been shaped this way since World War II, such that European nations often look to the United States not just as a trading partner but as a security deterrent that helps keep the broader transatlantic order in check.
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