Trump’s Worst Fear: When Europe Moves Without Him
This is the moment Trump dreads: Europe proving it doesn’t need him.
Trump’s Worst Fear: When Europe Moves Without Him
This is the moment Trump dreads: Europe proving it doesn’t need him.
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #499: Friday, August 22nd, 2025.
The One Thing That Keeps Trump Up at Night
Donald Trump has a lot of fears he’ll never admit. Losing relevance. Losing attention. Losing control of the stage.
And right now…he’s staring down the one scenario that could make all of that real.
Europe. Acting. Without him.
Not waiting for Washington. Not waiting for the United States. Not waiting for Trump’s blessing…his bluster…or his so-called “deal-making genius.”
Just acting.
The Whisper Europe Could Become a Roar
Word is moving fast through diplomatic circles:
The major European powers…France… Germany…Poland…maybe even the U.K….are seriously considering deploying their own troops into eastern Ukraine.
Why? Because Putin isn’t stopping.
Because the U.S. under Trump won’t stop him.
And because…unlike Trump…Europe doesn’t want to live under the boot of Russian tanks.
Trump thought he could hold the world hostage. “Only I can make the deal.” “Only I can sit across from Putin.”
But here’s the problem: when Europe steps up…Trump doesn’t matter. His whole “brand” collapses like a cheap tent in the rain.
Irrelevance: The One Thing Trump Can’t Spin
Trump’s life has been built on one dirty secret:
He inserts himself into the middle of every transaction…every negotiation…every show. He’s the dealmaker…the guy you need if you want to move the ball forward.
But what happens when you’re not needed? When the grown-ups at the table push their chairs closer together…and leave yours empty?
That’s Trump’s nightmare.
Europe doesn’t need his blessing. Europe doesn’t need his signature. Europe doesn’t need his “art of the deal.”
If European tanks roll east…without him…Trump becomes what he fears most:
Irrelevant. A sideshow. A carnival barker in the parking lot while the main event takes place inside.
The “Peace Talks” Scam Blown Up
Let’s be crystal clear: Trump has been salivating for months over the idea of being the one to “broker” peace in Ukraine. Not because he cares about peace. Not because he cares about Ukraine.
But because he wants the photo-op. The credit. The leverage.
If Macron…Scholz…and a coalition of European states move ahead without him…it detonates his scam. He has nothing to broker. Nothing to dangle. Nothing to extort.
And make no mistake…Trump knows this. That’s why insiders say he’s sweating. That’s why he’s pacing.
Because if Europe shows they can do it themselves…the “Trump as indispensable strongman” myth goes up in smoke.
History’s Irony: America the By-stander
Think about the brutal irony here. For a century…America was the power Europe looked to for defense…stability…and leadership.
Now? Trump has twisted us into a laughingstock. A liability. A country so compromised by his ego that Europe is whispering: We’ll do it ourselves.
This isn’t just a diplomatic shift. It’s a seismic crack in the very image of American leadership.
And Trump knows it. He can feel it. Like an actor hearing the audience clap for someone else’s lines.
The Panic Behind the Curtain
Picture him in Mar-a-Lago…stomping around…muttering about NATO freeloaders one minute…then panicking that his name won’t be in the headlines the next.
This is the one thing Trump can’t spin.
This is the one humiliation he can’t weasel out of.
This is the one move that strips him naked.
Europe doesn’t need him. And the world will see it.
Europe Just Showed Him the Door
Europe Just Showed Him the Door
1. The Receipts: Europe Is Not Waiting
Let’s start with the undeniable.
For months now…European chatter has been bubbling under the surface. But in the last two weeks…the tone has shifted. No longer whispers. It’s planning. Contingency maps. Troop movement exercises couched as “defensive drills.”
France’s Macron has openly said “Europe must prepare to act if America will not.” That’s not rhetoric. That’s a signal to generals.
Germany…for the first time in decades…has greenlit conversations about deploying Bundeswehr troops outside of NATO command. Translation: Berlin wants options without U.S. veto power.
Poland has accelerated arms contracts at a pace that can’t be explained by “defense only.” They’re preparing for mobility eastward.
And behind closed doors…intelligence officials are saying what the press won’t: if Russia pushes deeper…Europe will not wait for Trump’s permission slip.
This is not theory. This is not think-tank speculation. This is movement.
And Trump? He can hear the gears grinding. The show rolling without him.
2. Why This Destroys Trump’s Script
Trump’s entire mythology depends on one thing: that he is indispensable.
The “art of the deal” schtick only works if everyone believes you need him at the table. Remove him? The magic evaporates.
Europe acting alone makes him surplus to requirements. Dead weight. A clown suit in the corner.
Think about it:
He’s been salivating over an Ukraine “deal” for months. Imagining himself on the cover of every global paper…shaking Putin’s hand like Nixon with Mao.
He’s been dangling it before his base as proof that he’s the “only one who can end the war.”
He’s been threatening Ukraine itself: no Trump…no peace.
But if Macron and Scholz fly to Kyiv…back it up with European armor…and hammer out terms without so much as a Zoom invite to Trump…what’s left? Nothing. He becomes the one thing he can’t tolerate: irrelevant.
And that’s why he’s panicking.
3. Trump’s Panic Pattern: The Nuclear Option of Ego
Here’s where it gets dangerous. Because Trump has a pattern when cornered: he burns the house down.
When Mueller boxed him in…he fired Comey.
When he lost in 2020…he lit January 6th on fire.
When DeSantis threatened him…he unleashed an artillery barrage of insults until the man folded like a cheap lawn chair.
Now? When Europe threatens to prove he’s not needed? Expect the nuclear option of ego.
He will:
Trash NATO harder than ever before…maybe even float “formal exit papers.”
Threaten to yank U.S. aid from Ukraine entirely…forcing Zelensky into a corner.
Cozy even tighter to Putin…promising him concessions just to spite Europe.
And worst of all: use domestic chaos…like deploying troops in D.C….to prove he’s still “the alpha.”
This isn’t just about geopolitics. It’s about Trump’s need to dominate the stage. And when the stage is taken away…he becomes lethal.
4. What Europe Knows: Trump Is Weak
Don’t kid yourself…Europe has studied Trump. They know his psychology better than half of America does.
They know he needs to be seen as powerful. They know he bluffs. They know he’ll scream “fake news” but secretly crave validation from strong leaders.
And here’s the kicker: they’ve stopped fearing him.
For decades…European capitals trembled at the thought of losing American support. But after watching Trump’s tantrums…betrayals…and outright sabotage…they’ve reached the breaking point.
They see what he is: a weak man hiding behind strongman cosplay.
And once you see through the costume…you can walk past him. That’s exactly what they’re preparing to do.
5. The Battle Scripts (Use These Today)
This is where you come in. Because while Europe moves…Americans must move too. We can’t sit back and let Trump spin this into “America abandoned.”
Here are three pressure scripts you can use today…by phone…email…or social media tags…to force lawmakers to get off their asses.
Script 1: Call to Lawmakers
“I want you on record: will you support or oppose European troop deployments if Trump refuses to act? I expect clarity. The world needs leadership, not silence.”
Script 2: Demand for Disclosure
“What contacts has your office had with European leaders about independent action in Ukraine? If Trump is sidelining America, the public deserves transparency.”
Script 3: Citizen Pressure
“If Europe acts without Trump, America faces humiliation on the world stage. Do you stand with democracy…or with Donald Trump’s ego?”
6. Smart Boycott…Not Scattershot
This part is critical. We can’t just scream into the void. We need consumer-level leverage.
Trump thrives because corporations keep feeding him cash. The same corporations bend their knees in silence while he burns alliances.
So here’s how to cut them:
Target precision…not noise. Don’t boycott “everything.” Pick the companies openly lobbying for Trump’s deregulation deals.
Tie their brand to irrelevance. Example: “Why is [Company X] backing the man Europe just left behind?”
Use local action. Post on social media with geotags. Companies hate regional embarrassment.
7. Why This Is Our Window
Listen carefully: these moments of Trump’s weakness don’t come often. But when they do…they’re openings we must sprint through.
Right now…Trump is panicking. Europe is moving. His entire persona…that of the indispensable strongman…is cracking.
That’s when movements can push. That’s when pressure works. That’s when history tilts.
If we let this window close…shame on us.
Why You’re Here
Subscribers, this is why you’re here. This is why you’re not just skimming headlines or waiting for CNN to spoon-feed you narrative.
You’re inside because you want the real playbook. The scripts. The leverage. The roadmap.
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In the last 30 days, 1.9 million people read my posts. That’s great. But…it’s not enough.
There are 100 million plus voters who fear Donald Trump.
That tells me…there are at least 98 million voters who aren’t seeing the JHN articles I’m writing.
Bottom Line:
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Okay…that’s it for now. I’ve got an article for paid subscribers that will be coming out later this afternoon or this evening.
I’ll be back soon. You know I will.
Warmly,
-Jack
P.S. Trump’s not scared of Europe’s tanks. He’s scared of their independence. He’s scared of losing the stage.
That’s the fight in front of us. And if you use the tools above…you’ll know you did your part to rip the mask off this fraud before he drags us into irrelevance with him.
P.P.S. If you think Trump looks dangerous when he’s winning…just wait until you see him cornered…sweating…and irrelevant. That’s when he lashes out…and that’s when we need to be at our sharpest.
On Aug 5, AP reported Australia ordered $6.5B worth of frigates from Mitsubishi (Japan). I hope the money paid for arms ordered for efforts in Ukraine, paid for by Europe, can avoid flowing into the U.S.; Trump will take credit if that happens. I can hear it now “no boots on the ground, but money rolling in”. Jack, to your knowledge, are NATO members obligated to order only from other NATO members? Thank you.
The sooner the better Jack. Time for that son of a bitch to be irrelevant.