Over Here, Over There

Living Through Trump 2.0: A Transatlantic Reality Check 100 Days In

• Dan Harris and Claudia Koestler • Season 3 • Episode 24

Share episode

So Donald Trump is back in the Oval Office - but to what consequences? In this episode of Over Here, Over There, German journalist Claudia Koestler and US/UK commentator Dan Harris dive deep into the whirlwind first 100 days of Trump’s second term. From Berlin to London and beyond, Claudia and Dan unpack the personal and political fallout:

  • How have Trump’s executive orders, tariffs, and global shakeups changed daily life and travel for Europeans and Americans alike?
  • Is Germany still a safe haven, is the US now too unpredictable to visit?
  • What do Europeans really think about “America First,” and how are protests and politics shifting on both sides of the Atlantic?
  • Can the EU find unity in the face of US unpredictability, or will divisions (like Hungary’s stance) hold it back?


With honest, sometimes raw, and always insightful perspectives, this episode is a must-watch for anyone curious about how Trump’s policies reverberate far beyond US borders. Tune in for a transatlantic conversation you won’t hear anywhere else!

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and join the debate in the comments: How do YOU see the US and Europe changing in Trump’s second term?

#Trump2025 #EuropeReacts #OverHereOverThere #PoliticalPodcast #Transatlantic #TrumpSecondTerm



Claudia Koestler (00:02.049)
Welcome back to Over Here, Over There, the podcast Across Borders. Today with the episode, we have to do an update on the current political climate after Trump has taken the Oval Office. We've been experiencing the same whirlwind as you, as the entire world. The moment you process one news, there is already another one. You wake up, you turn a page, you stop recording and things have already changed. So come on, let's get it down to where it really matters and where it matters most, the personal level. Dan, are you ready to renounce your citizenship yet?

Dan Harris (00:40.686)
The question is which one? I have three, my dear, and I have the luxury of three, so But no, not yet. I'll keep the US one for now. We've done an episode previously on Citizenships, and so I do brag a little bit about having three; the other are, for the record, UK and Italian.

Claudia Koestler (00:42.702)
I should have known that.

Dan Harris (01:08.11)
Those are the three, but when the US knows I am not going to renounce it just yet. I'm going to hang in there. I'm going to fight the good fight.

Claudia Koestler (01:13.998)
Okay. Okay. And of course, you want to vote next time, I'm sure about that. But as an American living in Europe, has there ever been a time when you were happier to be over here rather than over there?

Dan Harris (01:20.579)
Yeah.

Dan Harris (01:28.844)
Well, I've been happier over here for quite a while because I've been here for 30 years off and on, and I haven't paid any healthcare costs. Hardly. I did have private healthcare for a little while, but I wasn't using it because I was using the NHS. So, I mean, that's a long story, but it certainly does help one over here to feel settled and secure and not have to worry about healthcare, because when I go back to the States, conversation with relatives and friends, we somehow always get to healthcare as far as the cost and stuff like that. So anyway, am I happy over here? But what we're really talking about, though, is the Trump administration and what's happened since his inauguration. And I definitely feel happier over here. In fact, I know a lot of family and friends who are

Claudia Koestler (01:55.758)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (02:06.691)
Mm.

Dan Harris (02:23.884)
worried and very concerned and upset and are looking at the possibility of coming over to Europe and to for a length of time or permanently so it's it's it's it's there it's it's it's a it's a possibility it's strange because the party i would say this that

Claudia Koestler (02:31.15)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (02:48.622)
A lot of people over here used to look at the United States with amazement, with excitement, like there's a party going on over in the States and they're missing out. Well, now I think the roles have reversed and that the Americans are looking to Europe because they're looking for stability, they're looking for quality of life and maybe a different value system they can identify with. Because this has been such a shock over the last 10 years, but particularly last, since Trump's second term has come in, that really they're thinking hard about their American citizenship and what it means to, you know, to be American. And they don't wanna lose that, but they wanna find it elsewhere, you know, that value system. So, but I mean, do you have any regrets or any apprehension? I don't know, and not regrets about your German citizenship, but any apprehension.

Claudia Koestler (03:30.83)
Interesting.

Claudia Koestler (03:44.182)
Now I can't hear you, Dan. Okay.

Dan Harris (03:46.35)
Any apprehension, I would say, about traveling to the US.

Claudia Koestler (03:52.678)
Good question, Dan. Honestly, I'm kind of torn in a way. Germany, my home country, feels like a refuge in many ways. It's stable, predictable, and has a robust social safety net. But I'm still drawn back to the US, both professionally and personally. You know how much I love the US. It's a fabulous landscape, with wide open spaces.

They can have this wonderful can-do attitude. And I do have friends there that I cherish very, very much. But the first months of Trump's presidency, however, have introduced an unpredictability in the atmosphere. And as a political commentator, as a journalist, I want to maintain my independence and safety without any unnecessary risks.

and travel restrictions or visa scrutiny could complicate things. And yes, if we are not talking about professional travel, where I'm going out as a journalist to find out things firsthand, but when we are talking leisure travel, I kind of find myself in a situation that I do think about the question, do I need to bring my money into a country that feels much more unwelcoming than a couple of months ago, because a lot has changed. mean, think about the executive orders, the withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, the reversal of the offshore drilling ban, the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, mass layoffs, and then all the tariffs, and following the roller coaster on the stock market. mean,

It must be very stressful these days to be an American. It is as a European, but I imagine as an American, it is a different animal, a different level. So do you feel like you have to answer more than ever for what's going on over there?

Dan Harris (06:00.866)
I think the world is still in shock about the last, since his inauguration in the second term, and they're trying to process it all. And so I've gotten questions, more open-jawed response about, at like, what is going on over there? I mean, the usual chaos they could deal with and we can talk about, but now they really feel it. And what he's done is he's exported chaos.

No, the chaos used to be within the United States and we used to look at that, that circus that was going on in the first term. But in the second term, it's more chaotic in the States and he's exported the chaos through tariffs and everything else. So, so then suddenly, know, people in Ireland and England and France and Japan or, know, or any part of the world thinking, why us? What, what, what have we done? And

It's, and that, and that's, that's the kind of response we're, I'm getting in this open mouth, gobsmacking kind of, this doesn't make sense at all. This doesn't make sense at all. And why is this? And it doesn't help anybody. Everybody's, everybody's losing here. And to be honest, for me, it makes me feel ashamed. because.

Claudia Koestler (07:12.238)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (07:19.054)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (07:29.066)
I don't like being seen as a country who is now the villain. And that's the way things are, because we've turned our allies into enemies in a way, or it should be that the United States has turned itself into an enemy to the Western world, to the rest of the Western world and to a lot of its allies.

So, is a great deal amount of, of, of shame. There's a great deal amount of, you mentioned stress. Certainly there's stress, both not just financially, but that is the big, a big one, which we can talk about as far as what the stock market is doing and how it's affecting small investors like us who rely on it for their pensions. And we're seeing it plummeting. and it's a big worry, especially as we get older and, I'm not too far off on that, but it's also the security wise.

what's happening with NATO, what's happening with the borders and things like that. So there's a lot more and what really has happened is that he's injected a great deal of risk internationally into the system. There was risk before mostly confined with the, as I said in the beginning about the circus going on in the States, but now he's injected a lot of international risk and we're trying to think of how are we gonna deal with that?

Claudia Koestler (08:22.712)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (08:34.157)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (08:48.684)
and so many levels to that international risk that will come back and affect United States. you know, but how is it viewed in Germany as far as the stress level and concern that the Germans have or in the rest of Europe? Because you look across, I know with the newspaper, you look at Germany, but you also see so much more across Europe.

Claudia Koestler (09:13.966)
Well, there's definitely a palpable sense of unease and uncertainty here. There is a stress level. Germany, as you know, is an export-driven economy and therefore it is particularly vulnerable, especially in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors, which are targeted by the tariffs. Businesses worry about supply chain disruptions and lost markets, and politicians express their frustration, seeing these moves as unpredictable and damaging to transatlantic cooperation. The public is less focused on the technicalities and more concerned about the broader implications, like job security, economic stability, and, of course, the future of Europe-US relations. So yeah, the stress is there.

But there still is, it's often tempered by a pragmatic, keep calm and carry on attitude. What about the attitude of Americans? Do you think that the concept of American identity is evolving, especially with growing diversity and political polarization? Do you feel there is a shift in what it means to be American?

Dan Harris (10:30.424)
Yeah.

Dan Harris (10:34.776)
Well, it's more or less like I mentioned, they are not comfortable, and nor am I with the position of being thought of as a villain.

Claudia Koestler (10:39.31)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (10:46.042)
and opening my mouth in a space when I'm a, I'm, I'm a broad, I'm a citizen of this country. Still when I, when I open my mouth, I'm American and I do, I do, you know, and other Americans say the same thing is that they are reluctant to open their mouths sometimes because of the hostility that might, they might get, they fear that they might get because of what's happening in the States and how it's affecting them over here. So I've heard that a number of times. yeah, I mean, is Germany feeling more patriotic, like say, the Canadians do? Has that kind of patriotism affected Germany at all, as far as making them think more about themselves and their place in the world?

Claudia Koestler (11:13.422)
Wow.

Okay, wow.

Claudia Koestler (11:20.014)
shocking.

Claudia Koestler (11:39.982)
That's an intriguing question. I'd say there is a sort of subtle shift to it. Probably subtle because patriotism in Europe often carries a different historical weight to it than in the US. But Trump's America First rhetoric has prompted some Europeans to rethink their own identity and their alliances.

Other than the US, there is a renewed emphasis on European unity and sovereignty, partly as a reaction to perceived American unpredictability. So I'd say it's less about nationalism in the traditional sense, but more about a collective European pride and maybe even more a determination to chart an independent course.

Canada's response, as far as I've heard about it, has been a bit more patriotic, overtly patriotic, I'd say. But here it is quietly growing in the context of preserving shared values. Talking about values, do you think the announcement of the tariffs were deliberately used by Trump and his friends, billionaire friends, to buy cheap?

Dan Harris (13:07.566)
Oh right, the insider trading as we term it.

Claudia Koestler (13:10.848)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kind of spark a movement and then be ready to swoop in, you know.

Dan Harris (13:18.296)
Well, that's going to be investigated, I think, if especially if the Democrats win in 2028 because Trump may have gotten away with that because of the ruling of presidential immunity from last, you know, last year by the Supreme Court. But those who traded on it, on that on that information won't be protected. And if Trump is not in power, not as president, there won't be anybody there to pardon them.

Claudia Koestler (13:26.765)
Interesting.

Dan Harris (13:48.142)
So they're on the hook if they get caught, and the statute of limitations won't have run out. They, you know, cause it'll be 2028, 2029, and it'll still be within five years if that's relevant. So I would be a little bit worried if I were certain congressmen or certain business people, friends with Trump, who heard that information on that morning and traded on it. So they have something to worry about. Do you see any justification at all for these tariffs vis-à-vis Germany and Europe? I mean, there was a trade imbalance with Germany, but...

Claudia Koestler (14:43.043)
Alright.

Claudia Koestler (15:00.142)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (15:03.894)
That's in goods and goods, but in services, obviously, United States does a great deal better on that score. how does Germany feel like put upon or it's unfair that these actions are unwarranted?

Claudia Koestler (15:18.136)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (15:22.142)
Absolutely. mean, admittedly, Germany had a significant trade surplus with the US. I have looked that actually up. The German Federal Statistical Office reported that in 2024, Germany exported goods worth about 161 billion euros. That is approximately 176 billion US dollars to the US while importing only 91.5 billion euros worth of goods from the US. So there is a trade surplus resulting to, that is approximately 76 billion US dollars. But that is something that can and should be addressed via a trade policy, demand management, exchange rate adjustments, and supply side improvements. So you can tackle that surplus.

Trump justified those tariffs also by claiming the EU imposes an average tariff rate of 39 % on US goods, while the US charges only 20%. However, evidence shows that the EU's actual average tariff on the US products is closer to 1%. That is official data by the European Commission or up to 4.8 % if you take the WTO estimate.

Both are far lower than Trump's claim. So from an economic standpoint, those tariffs seem like an absolute blunt and stupid instrument. The collateral damage, higher prices, disrupted supply change, retaliatory tariffs, they outweigh any benefit. And for Germany and Europe, which rely heavily on exports to the US, these measures feel

short-sighted, but also punitive. Politically, they seem like a message of unilateralism, which risks long-term damage on trust and cooperation. So I do understand the domestic political calculus behind it, but the broader economic and diplomatic costs are hard to defend. And it will definitely bounce back to the domestic US market. And we have already seen that happening. So

Dan Harris (17:46.786)
Yeah.

Claudia Koestler (17:47.438)
Do you actually see that there is a divide in how Trump's actions are viewed domestically versus internationally? Because you've heard now how I actually view it. Do you hear it differently from people that are living in the country, in the US?

Interlude: message from Dan Harris with background music

Dan Harris (18:02.77)
No, it's about the same. just, like that stupid equation, that moronic equation that they came up with, I think a bunch of sixth graders could have done a better job with coming up with an equation as to how to deal with tariffs. people, even leading economists, looked at that equation that they were using, and they couldn't think, what is this? They just made no sense. It was the wrong tool to use and the equation was too simplistic; it's far, far more complicated. But you know, you have a lot of adults who are around him nodding their heads, saying, yeah, that makes sense. No, no, it was ridiculous. so, but that aside,

Trump has been obsessed with tariffs since the 1980s. And I was a treasury trader, US treasury trader in London, when Japan was on the rise, its economy, and we were buying so many Japanese goods and particularly automobiles. They make good automobiles. we were in the US consumer was, you know, buying them hand over fist. But what they were also doing was

And this is just about the surplus that goes around the world. It goes from one nation to the other. The US created it all during the 20th century, but then, through the change over time with the economy, that surplus was exported elsewhere to other nations. And in this case, it was Japan. And what they were doing, though in turn, because they wanted to, I don't want to get too much in the weeds on this, but

Claudia Koestler (19:43.309)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (19:47.874)
They were buying our government debt, billions and billions of our government bonds. And Trump, for some reason, resented that. He resented seeing the buildings that the Japanese were buying, but what he didn't realize was that they were also helping to finance our spending in the United States. Our spending was being financed by Japan buying our bonds. And that's how it works.

Claudia Koestler (20:10.787)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (20:15.4)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (20:17.128)
And now China is in that role, but even bigger  because they're, they do 30 % of the world's manufacturing comes from China, maybe even higher. And they are, they were buying our bonds, as well and keeping our spending going for the for the U S consumer. That's how the trade, the trade patterns work. And it's just, it's not, it's not a zero-sum game. That's just, you know, international trade and finance.

But so it's one of these things that he just wants to has this in mind. It really shows us also from his personality point of view that he doesn't want to hear anything else. He gets something in mind and he sticks with it. Over the decades, this has been over the decades, he's had this and he obviously we all just still are amazed that he doesn't know how tariffs work. I've heard that a thousand times.

Claudia Koestler (21:05.269)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (21:15.006)
on so many newspapers and in shows that I've, that I watch and listen to. So it's just amazing that he's kept this, that he's being, it's part of the, you know, this victimization that he has that, someone is doing to me. I'm like Japan, if they're buying a building, it's they're taken away from us. Or if they're buying.

Maybe if he realizes about if know, they're buying our bonds if China's buying something from us We've they must be doing something if they get run into surplus. They must be stealing from us doing something That's not how trade works. And that's why he did so poorly at at at Wharton that that that he doesn't want to show us his marks his grades, so Yeah, so it's

Claudia Koestler (21:51.991)
No.

Dan Harris (22:06.846)
It's more like that. doesn't make any sense. if it would keep on this path, it's not going to end well for all of us, not just for the United States. It's not going to win always. It's got to end somehow. And we just hope it doesn't get to that level. anyway, I would say, is he still enthusiastically supported by the extreme right wing groups?

in Germany like the AfD or do you see that in certainly I know he has friends in Viktor Orban and in Hungary that's love affair with him and he sides with the likes of Erdogan and Turkey and certainly Putin and Shizhi and and Kim Jong-un and North Korea but what about those parties in the center of Europe like the AfD?

Claudia Koestler (23:00.12)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dan Harris (23:05.228)
What's, are they appalled by what are they saying about these tariffs and about Trump?

Claudia Koestler (23:09.888)
They are not appalled. The AFD, is, as you know, Germany's far-right party that has gained some traction and is now...

claim to be, polls claim that they are the most supported party of all in Germany with about 26 % of the votes. But let's be careful about those polls. They still have a significant traction here. They do express some admiration for Trump's nationalistic stance, but overall,

They are not the loudest supporter because the US as such has taken a significant hit with its image under Trump and ratings have plummeted and many Germans see the US as less reliable and less committed to shared democratic values. And the AFD doesn't want to touch that at the moment too harshly because there are no elections upcoming. So they keep a little bit more quiet and just

want to, I'd say, swim along with Trump, but they are not trumping their horns for him too loud at the moment. And most political parties across the spectrum, and I'd say the more balanced, the more middle of the road spectrum, are quite critical of Trump's policies and rhetoric. And I see a tendency in the broader German public to

distinguish between the US as a nation and its current leadership. But there is a lot of concern about the direction the American politics is going. many actually wonder why there have been no or at least just less, just little news about what the Democratic Party is actually doing. Are they opposing the current course?

Claudia Koestler (25:18.6)
of Trump, the party still in shatters after the election and therefore so quiet? Or do you see any regaining strengths there? It's been quite quiet in a way from the Democratic Party and people here in Germany are wondering about that.

Dan Harris (25:35.948)
Yeah, I'll just answer. I'll answer that in a second. I just wanted to bring back the polls in UK and Germany show after a and this reform party led by Nigel Farage increasing in strength, which is a bit of a worry if you were just looking at polls and I'm going to bring that back to the United States as far as the polls go and the Democrats. But in the polls currently week after week, we are seeing that Trump

his popularity started at like at inauguration around 54 % which is not not not great. It's not disastrous, but it wasn't great but it's higher than his previous term which didn't get above 50 % but that has dropped precipitous precipitously down pretty much a point a week. Now it's around say around 4243 still not in disaster mode but low.

especially for a first hundred days that we're talking about here. And so he is is dropping down in his popularity. it the red the alarm bells will sound when it gets down in my mind, in my opinion, down to about 32 or 30 percent down in that range. And then because then the Republicans have to ask them the question, is he the horse that we should bank on or do we follow?

Or do we just do like with George W. Bush and ignore him and try to get elected on our own? The typical thing with an unpopular president, what happens. So, but we're not quite there yet, but it's heading that way and it's been steady. so, but as you mentioned, the Democrats have been quiet up until recently. And a few exceptions that have come through was certainly with the tour that

Senator Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, AOC, have gone on that speaking tour throughout the United States, massive crowds showing up for them. A lot of people wanted to express their frustration, their anger, their disappointment about what was happening in Washington or with the Trump administration and its effect on them, you know, both, especially economically.

Dan Harris (27:59.609)
but also for many reasons. they, so, but that, and that's growing. have certain senators like Cory Booker, who did a filibuster in this on the Senate floor, speaking very eloquently for 25 hours and plus minutes, shattering the record. And, you know, very impressive and not just that length of time is endurance, but what he said during that time and how he, you know, capture the nation's attention.

Claudia Koestler (27:59.726)
Mm.

Dan Harris (28:29.698)
with what he was saying about the Trump administration. And then add that in, I think one of the stars of this has been Senator Chris Murphy has been out there from Connecticut and he's done, and this is not just recently, he's been at it for most of his Senate career, certainly the last several years as far as criticizing Trump and now the Trump administration and what they're doing and their failings. And he's pointed on the Senate floor at the corruption.

Claudia Koestler (28:54.39)
Okay.

Dan Harris (28:59.562)
involved. But I'll hand it back to you in a second. So but I just want to say that it's though it has been quiet in a sense, because that's the natural thing after an election, that the Democrats usually if you lose Democrats or Republicans, you're without your leader doesn't run again, usually doesn't happen, they exit stage left. And so it takes a year or two for another candidate to emerge through the primaries.

Claudia Koestler (29:04.078)
you

Dan Harris (29:28.866)
to become the party leader. So for that interim period of one or two years leading up to the primaries after a presidential election, that party is kind of leaderless for the most part. They might have certain prominent people talking, but as far as an actually bona fide leader, there isn't one. And there isn't one now. There's Chuck Schumer in the Senate who has made a few wrong moves that people have been upset with as far as you know,

Claudia Koestler (29:29.038)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (29:58.498)
going ahead with the budget and the CR, the continuing resolution in the Congress as far as supporting Trump's budget. And Hakeem Jeffries on the House side. Very good, very good politician, but not inspirational like what we need. So we need more out there and I can go into, we'll do another episode.

on what the Democrats need to do. But certainly they need to get number one thing, I'll just leave it with this. They need to get into campaign mode. They need to get campaign mode now, because this is different times than what they're we're used to. Don't wait for two, you know, two years, get into campaign mode now, get your leaders, the people who are thinking about running, get them to the forefront and let people know about them. Not unlike as we

Claudia Koestler (30:34.498)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (30:53.166)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (30:55.394)
found out close at hand when we were over in Philadelphia and how Kamala Harris had a struggle to get herself known and it was just too short a time for her. But the Democrats, they need to get out there and get into position, get organized across many fronts. but...

Claudia Koestler (31:04.674)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (31:13.699)
Right.

Claudia Koestler (31:17.474)
They need to show the world, not only the American people and the voters there, but the world that there is another US ready to go, you know? There is an alternative to Trump. they are, sort of.

Dan Harris (31:25.964)
Yeah. Like a shadow government. Yeah. So I mean, I think I know the answer to this question, but I'm ask it to you anyway, as far as what would Germany, what would Germany like to see come the midterms or the next presidential election at this point, and we're a year out, year in, about 18 months out. Well, you know, I assume that they wouldn't mind a change. It's not gonna happen right away.

Claudia Koestler (31:53.39)
There is a strong, strong, strong hope for a political reset in Washington. Absolutely. So come on, give it a change. The midterm elections are seen as a crucial opportunity to rebalance, to reset things, to rebalance power and restore a more predictable and most of all cooperative US foreign policy. That is so much needed. And I'm pretty sure that

Dan Harris (31:55.692)
Unfortunately, but...

Claudia Koestler (32:22.83)
German leaders and citizens alike are eager for a return to stability and multilateralism. We do all respect American sovereignty. Many in Germany view the current administration's approach, however, as disruptive and damaging to longstanding alliances. So a shift in leadership would be a welcome relief. Let's put it that way.

But that's about the politicians. What about people? I mean, they can vote, but what can they do in between? There have been reports about growing protests throughout the US. Do you think they can actually play a role in shaping public policy and political discourse? Or is that just nice to have, but nothing more?

Dan Harris (33:20.45)
No, I think the protests are a significant factor will be a significant factor. mean, there have been certain protests like the Vietnam protests that had impact certain protests have not, for some reason, depending on the situation and the government, and the institutions involved. But I think given the protests that have broken out over the last month across the United States, and in some parts of the world, it's it will scare the Republicans, I think it'll

scare the republicans in the United States, showing that the momentum is definitely not on their side, and I think through the tariffs they they definitely feel it and they can see it in the polls as we talked about earlier

So I think the protest, the question with the protest though, will be, you know, how often will they do this? How large and who do they have on their side? Who can they amass as well? You know, what will make up a protest? Who will be out on the streets? So it's gotta be a broad church when it comes down, not just Democrats, because they can be labeled as, the liberal left are busing people in and paying these people. No, no, you've gotta have...

Claudia Koestler (34:20.152)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (34:32.704)
More frequent, louder, and stronger, and that's the way to do it. Keep at it and keep on the street. So not not to let and not don't let Anybody position these?

Claudia Koestler (34:34.36)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (34:46.606)
as some left-wing conspiracy or something like that, like Trump will undoubtedly try to do, he'll definitely try to discourage or dispel these protests, because he won't even address their needs. He won't even to even recognize them. He'll be golfing, or doing something like that. So he'll want to ignore it as much as possible, but if it gets louder, stronger, he won't be able to ignore them. So it's real factor.

Claudia Koestler (34:58.53)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (35:14.58)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (35:16.622)
a real factor. and in what do you think the EU should do as far as their response goes as an organization, and maybe also the populations of various countries? And because, I'll just tell you one thing that Trump if he gets a state visit here, it's going to be it's going to be very interesting what happens as far as the protests go.

Claudia Koestler (35:45.504)
Okay, yeah, we will all be watching closely. What's going on there? Over there? Well...

Dan Harris (35:52.016)
We're going to shove King Charles to the front with a sign. That's what we're going to do.

Yeah. Anyway.

Claudia Koestler (36:02.702)
dear. Well, the EU definitely is at a crossroads. I mean, Trump's America First approach has accelerated discussions about strategic autonomy and deeper integration, especially in defense and in sovereignty. However, there are internal divisions exemplified by Hungary's increasingly nationalist and Eurosceptic stance, for example.

And this complicates the momentum. Hungary's resistance to EU norms challenges cohesion, but it also makes other member states push harder for unity and for reform. So there is a lighter side to the dark side here. And the EU's ability to balance these tensions while building a more independent foreign policy will be critical in the upcoming months.

I think, and it's something the world should be looking at, actually. There is a lot going on in Europe, and it's gonna be making or breaking a continent and an entire very important part of the world. So watch closely. But then, yeah.

Dan Harris (37:25.262)
Can I ask you a question? they change? I heard or read something that just that the EU has given Hungary the situation and how they can stop things through one vote. One country can stop an initiative or whatever they're thinking about, possibly restructuring or changing the rules. to not allow one country to hold up the other 26 or 27. Yeah. Is that true?

Claudia Koestler (37:38.734)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (37:51.03)
Yeah, yeah. To have it more by a majority and not by just one veto. And that is probably and likely going to be one of the reforms they are planning. Yeah.

Dan Harris (38:05.176)
Fantastic. I think that makes sense. That makes sense.

Claudia Koestler (38:09.166)
Well, let's see. As I said, it's going to be very, very interesting. watch out for what's happening over here. speaking of over here, finally, you could, Dan, if you could send a message to Trump from Europe, what would it be?

Dan Harris (38:33.806)
I would say two things: cease and desist. particularly with, I'm referring to the Trump, to the Trump, to the, to the tariffs cease and desist because it's not going to help anybody. and, no matter what you think, how long you've held these beliefs, it ain't going to help. And, certainly not going to help your party. Although I don't think you care about your party, you know, Mr. Trump.

Claudia Koestler (38:45.271)
Okay.

Dan Harris (39:02.894)
you just care about yourself, but cease and desist. And if it gets worse, then I would say resign and repent, because I think it will be such a terrible situation economically around the world that you might not have any choice. Your minions in Congress will turn against you when they see their future at risk. Right now, their future's at risk because you primary them, your own party. You threaten them. But when the threat gets so great on the other side that they're going to lose their own election, like,

Claudia Koestler (39:43.246)
Mm-hmm.

Dan Harris (39:50.422)
Like it is here in the UK. When they got rid of Liz Truss, why did they get rid of Liz Truss? Because she was a liability from an electoral point of view. So are we there yet? No, we're not there yet. But if it keeps going this way, yeah, yeah, happens to everybody and Trump is not immune to it. Yeah. So I'll just get off my high horse on that one. And but

Claudia Koestler (40:05.55)
Mm-hmm.

Claudia Koestler (40:09.757)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, okay.

Dan Harris (40:18.798)
I think that's, should we leave it there and continue on at another time with this subject? Yeah, I mean, it's gonna, yeah, are we leading up to the midterms?

Claudia Koestler (40:23.886)
Definitely. absolutely. I'm absolutely sure we will have loads to talk about.

Dan Harris (40:35.244)
Yeah, well, check out our website at overhereoverthere.org where you can become an OHOT member and pick up some cool merchandise as we say and in the process. And please don't forget to like and subscribe to the podcast and give us a five-star rating if you're so inclined. We'd very much appreciate it. We're on social media like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. So please go there, especially YouTube, where we're doing quite well. So thank you very much.

Please let us know what you think of the Trump administration's first hundred days and its effect on your country. But polite, insightful, humorous, constructive comments are always welcome in any language. So please be in touch. Tune again for another unmissable episode and until then, thank you for being over here, over there.