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The Trump administration is hastening efforts to secure a trade deal with the European Union, but underlying tensions could jeopardize these talks. The U.S. right-wing, with its strong nationalist leanings, has increasingly viewed the E.U. with suspicion rather than camaraderie, casting a shadow over the negotiations.

The animosity towards the E.U. isn't a new phenomenon among American conservatives. For years, they've criticized the bloc as overly bureaucratic and as having liberal policies on issues like climate change that don't align with America's values. This sentiment has only intensified in recent years. In 2022, a Pew Research survey revealed that 18 percent of American conservatives rated the E.U. very unfavorably, up from 14 percent in 2020.

President Trump himself has been vocal about his disdain for the European Union, claiming it was created to exploit the United States. This rhetoric was echoed by Vice President JD Vance, who during a speech in Munich suggested that Europe is straying from its core principles, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who derisively described America's European allies in a leaked chat. These views are also prevalent in conservative media. Laura Ingraham, a well-known TV host, criticized European climate policies and their approach to free speech and gun rights, asserting that Europeans don't share American values.

The Trump administration's strategy of treating the E.U. as a geopolitical rival rather than an ally has become more pronounced. The U.S. has managed to outline a trade deal plan with Britain, yet progress with the 27-nation European Union remains stalled. Trump’s imposition of a 50 percent tariff on European imports, delayed until July 9 but still pending a legal challenge, underscores the rocky path ahead.

Negotiations with Europe have proven more challenging than those with Britain, partly due to the E.U.'s larger economic clout and market power. European officials have been reluctant to make the same concessions as London. The complexity of dealing with the E.U. bureaucracy, as opposed to individual countries like Germany, has been a sticking point, with U.S. Treasury and Commerce officials recently expressing their frustrations.

The U.S. administration’s approach appears to be a strategy of divide and conquer, showing openness to bilateral negotiations with individual European countries while criticizing the E.U. as a whole. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard of the Peterson Institute for International Economics suggests that given the prevailing American sentiment, the E.U. should brace for difficult negotiations ahead.

In summary, the escalating skepticism and disdain from the U.S. right towards the European Union cast a long shadow over the ongoing trade discussions. Whether these parties can bridge their differences or whether the division will deepen remains an open question.