U.S. skepticism of NATO and EU policies is, to a significant extent, a direct reaction against the perceived interference and self-serving influence of European political and regulatory elites on American sovereignty, economic interests, and cultural values.

This skepticism is not uniform; it is most pronounced and ideologically charged within the populist, "America First" wing of the Republican Party and, to a lesser degree, among certain elements of the left.

The critique centers on three major dimensions: the "Free-Rider" Security Model, Regulatory and Economic Overreach, and the Imposition of "Globalist" Values.

1. The "Free-Rider" Security Model (NATO Skepticism)

The most tangible and enduring critique of the transatlantic relationship, heavily leveraged by populist figures, is the argument that European elites are manipulating the U.S. security guarantee (NATO) for their own economic benefit.

The Burden-Sharing Complaint

For decades, U.S. administrations have complained that European members of NATO do not meet the minimum defense spending target of 2% of GDP. Populists recast this long-standing policy discrepancy into a clear case of European elite interference and manipulation of the U.S. treasury:

• Economic Exploitation: The argument posits that European nations are wealthy enough to pay for their own defense but consciously underinvest to fund extensive social welfare programs (i.e., "socialist" policies), effectively free-riding on American military superiority.

• "Protection Racket" Rhetoric: Skeptics argue the alliance has devolved from a mutual defense pact into a "protection racket" where the U.S. is the over-burdened enforcer, a relationship they believe benefits the European elite (who maintain domestic popularity via high social spending) at the expense of American workers and taxpayers.

• Undermining U.S. Strategic Focus: Critiques suggest the U.S. military focus on Europe distracts resources and attention from the primary geopolitical challenge of China and the Indo-Pacific. By not adequately investing in their own defense, European elites are seen as forcing the U.S. to maintain a costly commitment that runs counter to America's evolving strategic interests. This is viewed as strategic manipulation through inaction.

2. Regulatory and Economic Overreach (EU Skepticism)

The EU, in particular, is viewed by skeptics as an unelected, bureaucratic elite entity in Brussels whose primary form of interference is through economic regulation that targets U.S. global businesses.

The Brussels Effect and Extraterritoriality

The EU is the world's largest single market, giving its regulations an extraordinary global reach. U.S. skeptics, especially on the right, see the "Brussels Effect" as a form of non-military, non-diplomatic elite interference in American commerce and sovereignty.

• Tech Regulation: Regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) are viewed not as legitimate consumer protection measures, but as a deliberate attempt by the European elite to handicap dominant American tech companies (e.g., Google, Meta, Apple) in the global marketplace. The heavy fines and compliance costs are interpreted as a bureaucratic power grab intended to serve European rivals.

• Trade Discrimination: Populist trade policy views European tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and farm subsidies as a clear mechanism of economic manipulation. When the EU resists imports of U.S. agricultural products (citing health or safety standards), skeptics view this as a pretext to protect European industries, demonstrating that the "partnership" is one-sided and designed to benefit the EU elite's economic interests.

The Attack on Sovereignty

The core populist critique of the EU echoes that of European Eurosceptics: the EU’s institutional structure, by centralizing power in Brussels, inherently undermines the national sovereignty of its members. U.S. skeptics fear that partnership with the EU means submitting to the decisions of a supranational elite who are unaccountable to American voters.

3. Cultural and Ideological "Globalist" Interference

Beyond security and economics, a powerful element of U.S. skepticism is the perception that European elites are attempting to impose a "globalist" or "woke" cultural and political agenda that is antithetical to American conservative values.

The Elite Alliance Against Populism

The rise of figures like Donald Trump and the populist movements that support him is often interpreted through a binary lens of "the people" versus "the elite." European leaders, who overwhelmingly oppose American populists, are consequently cast as part of the global, transnational elite working to thwart the will of the American people.

• The Climate Agenda: European leadership on climate change and the Green Deal is seen by conservative U.S. skeptics as a regulatory assault on American industry and energy independence, driven by unaccountable European technocrats seeking to impose costly and unnecessary environmental standards globally.

• "Woke" Values: Populist rhetoric frequently frames European policies on social issues, immigration, and free speech as signs of a decaying, overly-liberal cultural elite. When European leaders criticize American policy on these issues, it is seen as cultural manipulation—a deliberate attempt to shame and delegitimize conservative American political movements by holding them to a perceived European "globalist" standard.

A Reaction to Perceived Elite Overreach

U.S. skepticism of NATO and EU policies is far more than a simple disagreement on foreign policy; it is a fundamental cultural and political reaction rooted in a deep mistrust of established elites—both foreign (European) and domestic (the U.S. foreign policy and business establishment).

The concept of European "elite interference" functions as a powerful rhetorical tool for populists, providing a foreign scapegoat for domestic economic and cultural anxieties.

• NATO: European elite inaction (defense under-spending) is viewed as financial manipulation.

• EU: European elite regulation is viewed as economic and sovereign interference.

• Transatlantic Relations: European elite cultural opposition is viewed as ideological interference.

This skepticism is thus a reaction not only against the policies of Brussels and Berlin but against the perceived worldview of the European ruling class—a worldview that U.S. populists believe is fundamentally working to undermine the interests, prosperity, and sovereignty of the American nation-state.