Skepticism Toward the U.S. and Political Backlash: The Evolution Mechanism and Prospects of Post-Cold War Transatlantic Relations

Xinyue Xiang

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2025.30273

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

Skepticism Toward the U.S. and Political Backlash: The Evolution Mechanism and Prospects of Post-Cold War Transatlantic Relations

Research Article

Open Access

Skepticism Toward the U.S. and Political Backlash: The Evolution Mechanism and Prospects of Post-Cold War Transatlantic Relations

Xinyue Xiang ^1*

¹ Beijing Foreign Studies University

^*Corresponding author: 1766934648@qq.com

Published on 4 December 2025

LNEP Vol.121

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-373-4

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-374-1

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Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War, Transatlantic relations have continuously evolved amidst the tension between "ally dependence" and "strategic autonomy." The emergence of European skepticism toward the U.S. and its transformation into political backlash have become key clues to understanding this process. This paper constructs a progressive transmission analysis model comprising four links: Structure – Emotion – Discourse – Policy (the SEDP model), to systematically explain the dynamic mechanism through which European skepticism toward the U.S. accumulates and translates into policy practice in the post-Cold War era. The study finds that structural pressure, through the interaction between elites and the public, and via emotional accumulation and discursive resonance, ultimately drives the formation of countervailing policies. Using typical cases such as France's Cultural Exception policy, the Iraq War, the Snowden incident, and EU defense autonomization as empirical evidence, this paper reveals the theoretical advantages of the SEDP model in explaining the evolution of Transatlantic relations. The research further suggests that future Transatlantic relations may develop along two paths: "Deepening Strategic Autonomy" and "Reconfiguration towards Multipolar Balance." Meanwhile, China needs to respond to the challenges posed by the EU's "de-risking" policy through institutional cooperation and "Third Space Diplomacy," thereby constructing an inclusive international cooperation ecosystem.

Keywords:

Transatlantic Relations, Skepticism Toward The U.S., Political Backlash, SEDP Transmission Model, Strategic Autonomy

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