Trade Without Trust? The Future of the Transatlantic Economic Order | German American Conference 2026

As geopolitical tensions rise and old alliances come under pressure, trade is increasingly becoming a tool of power. The United States and Europe are reassessing dependencies, reshoring critical industries, and looking for new partners, sometimes at each other’s expense. What happens when economic cooperation can no longer rely on political trust? Can the transatlantic relationship withstand a more competitive global order, or are allies increasingly becoming rivals?