What if someone throws a tantrum and no one notices?
Or worse, others find it encouraging? So goes the saga of Donald Trump versus The World.
Back in the States, the headlines scream about alliances unraveling and institutions crumbling under the new administration. And that was before the White House blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
America is in the throes of a self-inflicted political meltdown, yet the global response varies wildly. Some wring their hands in despair while others, particularly in Europe, see opportunity blowing in with the chaos.
One of the great truisms of the 20th century — America’s undisputed global leadership — is unraveling. What was once an unshakable pillar of international order now falters, leaving space for new power structures to emerge.
“The idiot wind now howling through the United States is also blowing a potentially transformative windfall across the Atlantic,” a columnist for The Irish Times wrote. “Instead of wringing our hands over the danger to our pharmaceutical exports from Trump’s threatened tariffs, we should be doing something truly bold: stealing American scientists.”
It’s a striking proposition — one that underscores Europe’s pragmatic approach to U.S. instability. While American media hyperventilates over political infighting, European leaders and businesses quietly position themselves to capitalize on America’s self-inflicted wounds.
Since moving from Atlanta to Northern Ireland, I’ve wrestled with how best to process the news. After all, I moved my family here following the election to insulate them from America’s spiraling mayhem. Yet, for all the chaos out there, the European coverage offers a strange sense of optimism — from the ashes of the U.S. dumpster fire, Europe sees opportunity.
The European press is rife with speculation about America’s decline and the power vacuum left behind. Some leaders are stepping into the void. Whether it’s French President Emmanuel Macron standing up to Russia’s Vladimir Putin (and Trump) or Ireland considering increased aid and military support for Ukraine, Europe is recalibrating.
This shift is particularly significant for Ireland, which has historically clung to strict neutrality. The country contributes troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions but largely avoids entanglements in emerging conflicts.
But that may change. Alarmed by America’s erratic foreign moves, Irish leaders are debating whether to scrap their neutrality policy.
“We in Ireland stand with you,” Irish premier Michael Martin told Zelenskyy. “And we do need to say more, we do need to spend more, and we need to do more.”
That’s a big promise from a small country — not because Ireland has vast resources, but because it understands that when a neighbor is in crisis, you don’t demand collateral before offering help. Per capita, the Irish already contribute 31% more in humanitarian aid than Americans ($250 versus $190). In Ireland, as in much of Europe, helping others isn’t just lip service.
Which brings me back to those winds of opportunity across the Atlantic. As Trump and Elon Musk systematically purge institutions of experts, scientists and researchers, Europe sees a chance to rebalance the scales.
“The biomedical scientists that the U.S. is dumping represent an immense reservoir of intellectual capital. We don’t, in fact, have to steal it — Trump is giving it away for nothing,” noted columnist Fintan O’Toole in The Irish Times.
O’Toole isn’t wrong. The U.S. is actively repelling its brightest minds — particularly in biomedical research, climate science and technology. While American media fixates on the personal tragedies of those displaced, European coverage is more pragmatic: Where will this talent go? Who will benefit?
That’s the real story. As America isolates itself with nationalist fervor and political theater, other nations are laying out the welcome mat for its exiled intellectuals. Ireland, with its booming biotech and tech sectors, is in prime position to attract the expertise that Trumpism is driving away.
This is the underreported narrative of our time. While U.S. news cycles spin in endless outrage mode, Europe gets to work — capitalizing on America’s self-destruction. As the country tears itself apart over who gets to define reality, the rest of the world is watching, adapting and, in many cases, profiting from the wreckage.
OPINION By: TODD CAPILEVITZ
Todd Copilevitz is a former reporter, columnist and marketing strategist from Atlanta. He now resides in Portballintrae, Ireland, on the North Coast, where he shares a home with his wife, mother, dog and cat.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/article301588229.html#storylink=cpy