Originally published on the 27th & 28th February 2026 in the Irish Times and Irish Independent.

The phrase “TACO” – Trump Always Chickens Out – is proving to be correct. Over his first and second terms, we have repeatedly witnessed bombastic threats followed by retreat when he is pushed back, from annexing Greenland and Canada to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to the trade war with China, to name but a few examples.

Mr Trump has said himself that he respects strength, not submission. Yet all too often, European leaders respond to these threats with caution, hoping to avoid confrontation at all costs. The evidence clearly shows that the opposite approach works better. When leaders stand firm against these bullying tactics, the American president recalibrates. 

Europe is not weak. It is a bloc of over 450 million people. It should start acting like it.

Dean Litchfield