Donald Trump is not subtle. By erecting an Ultimate Fighting Championship arena outside the White House for his forthcoming 80th birthday, the US president has shown his love of contests that involve fists, feet, knees and elbows.
It has taken some time for European leaders, more accustomed to the Queensberry Rules that made boxing less brutal, to understand Trump’s style of geopolitical pugilism. But in releasing its tech sovereignty package this week, the EU has shown it is starting to adapt.
Thankfully, it has resisted the urge to leap into the ring with Trump. There would only be one winner in that contest given the strength of US technological, financial and military muscle. The brutal reality is that in many areas, Europe remains inextricably dependent on US technology. Its definition of sovereignty says it should remain grounded in “openness, partnership and fair competition”.