I know this is a bold thesis. It is meant to provoke thought and encourage debate. Here are some of the considerations that led me to it:

• Europe depends on US military protection, and the US uses this “alliance” as leverage -> NATO gives Washington structural influence over European security choices.

• US tech firms dominate Europe’s cloud and software stack, creating digital dependency. Also, European data often sits under infrastructure exposed to US legal and corporate power.

• Russian energy dependence was a problem for Europe when the Ukraine war started. The US were quite eager when it came to “help” by replacing the Russian energy dependence with American energy dependence.

• US sanctions policy often forces Europe to absorb costs for Washington’s geopolitical priorities.

• American platforms shape European speech, commerce, administration, and most importantly: public debate.

• “Strategic autonomy” exists as a slogan because dependency is already the default.