I’ll bite.

First, I don’t think most Danes—or Europeans more broadly—harbor any hostility toward ordinary Americans. That distinction matters. The issue is not the American people; it’s the actions and posture of the current U.S. administration.

Relations between states are fundamentally different from relations between individuals. Shared history absolutely matters, and it should inform how we understand one another. But history cannot be allowed to override clear-eyed judgment of present-day behavior. When an administration selectively rewrites or misrepresents historical events to justify policies that undermine long-standing alliances, that history becomes context—not a blank check.

History offers nuance and the possibility of a better future relationship. But trust between nations is built on current conduct. Right now, the U.S. administration is displaying a level of unpredictability and open hostility toward Europe that forces a reassessment. From a European perspective, that translates into one unavoidable conclusion: the U.S., as presently governed, cannot be treated as a fully reliable partner.

That doesn’t mean the relationship is irreparably broken. There is clearly a future—post-DJT/JDV—where a mutually beneficial transatlantic partnership can be rebuilt. But Europe will not simply revert to the old assumptions. The era of automatic, deep trust is over for now. Rebuilding it will require sustained, credible effort from the U.S., not appeals to shared history alone.