Belgian diplomats questioned US reliability under Trump in leaked strategy document - FT
Belgian diplomats warned in an internal strategy document that the United States under President Donald Trump was no longer the ally it had been in the past and urged Brussels to diversify its political and defense relationships, the Financial Times reported.
The document, prepared by the Belgian Foreign Ministry's Americas and Caribbean department in late 2025, called for a “thorough reassessment” of Belgium's and the European Union's relationship with the United States.
“It is now clear that the American partner is no longer the ally it was in the past,” the document said, according to the Financial Times.
The strategy warned that developments in the United States could threaten several “vital interests” of Belgium and the EU, while stressing that engagement with the Trump administration remained necessary.
Belgian diplomats recommended significantly expanding contacts beyond the federal government, including with Republican and Democratic governors, mayors of major cities and members of Congress.
The document also called for maintaining contacts with the Democratic opposition and identifying a new generation of bipartisan political figures who could play a role in the future of the United States.
On defense, the strategy recommended diversifying procurement toward more European military equipment, while noting that the Trump administration viewed purchases of US weapons favorably.
A Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson described the document as “internal working material” and stressed that it should be distinguished from an agreed government strategy.
The spokesperson said reassessing international developments and their implications for Belgium's relationships with allies was part of the ministry's regular work.
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