European Commission President von der Leyen issued the strongest condemnation to date of Trump's attacks on Europe and urged the continent to follow its own path in a changing world. “We can't let someone else's worldview define us,” von der Leyen said while addressing the European Parliament. “None of us should be shocked by what others say about Europe.” A week before von der Leyen made this statement, Trump criticized the “weakness” of EU leaders and issued a new national security strategy, claiming that the EU is facing a “demise of civilization” and economic decline. Von der Leyen said, “Let me say this. This is not the first time that some people's assumptions about Europe have been proven to be out of date.” “Nor is it the first time that people have realized that the post-war world order is undergoing drastic changes.” She quoted a passage stating that Europe's share of global GDP has declined from 25% in 1990 to 14% today. The same is true in the US, where America's share of global GDP fell from 22% to 14% over the same period. “This is not an economic story from either side of the Atlantic,” von der Leyen said. “This is the story of the changing landscape of the world economy.”

European Commission President von der Leyen issued the strongest condemnation to date of Trump's attacks on Europe and urged the continent to follow its own path in a changing world. “We can't let someone else's worldview define us,” von der Leyen said while addressing the European Parliament. “None of us should be shocked by what others say about Europe.” A week before von der Leyen made this statement, Trump criticized the “weakness” of EU leaders and issued a new national security strategy, claiming that the EU is facing a “demise of civilization” and economic decline. Von der Leyen said, “Let me say this. This is not the first time that some people's assumptions about Europe have been proven to be out of date.” “Nor is it the first time that people have realized that the post-war world order is undergoing drastic changes.” She quoted a passage stating that Europe's share of global GDP has declined from 25% in 1990 to 14% today. The same is true in the US, where America's share of global GDP fell from 22% to 14% over the same period. “This is not an economic story from either side of the Atlantic,” von der Leyen said. “This is the story of the changing landscape of the world economy.”