Dutch public wants tougher stance on Trump, stronger European defense

The Dutch public wants the government to adopt a tougher approach toward U.S. President Donald Trump and believes Europe should reduce its reliance on the United States. Support for the idea of a European army is also on the rise, according to a survey of more than 2,000 respondents by Ipsos I&O.

The study, carried out last week during the Greenland tensions, shows that almost half of the respondents believe the United States will eventually claim Greenland. Over three-quarters of participants say they want the Dutch government to oppose any U.S. attempt to annex the territory.

Some 73 percent of respondents say Europe relies too heavily on the United States for defense, up from 65 percent at the end of 2024. Support for creating a European army has also grown, rising from 37 percent in 2019 to 52 percent today.

More than half of the supporters of far-right Christian party SGP were either satisfied with how the Dutch Cabinet has responded to the U.S. so far, or wants the Netherlands to offer the country even more support. More than a fourth of those backing the extreme-right FVD also want the Netherlands do more to support the U.S. More than 40 percent of those who voted for the far-right parties, Ja21 and PVV, and right-wing parties VVD and BBB were either satisfied, or want the Cabinet to offer more support to the United States.

The parties most displeased include socialist faction SP, animal-rights group PvdD, and left-wing faction GL-PvdA. The latter has about 15 percent of voters saying they were satisfied, with roughly 75 percent demanding the Dutch be more critical. The PvdD had a similar approval rating, with around 65 percent wanting a tougher stance. Only about a tenth of SP voters were pleased with the Cabinet’s stance towards the U.S., with 80 percent wanting a firmer stand in opposition of the U.S.

A separate Ipsos I&O study indicates that defense is gaining importance among Dutch voters, with the proportion of people calling for more political focus on the issue rising significantly between 2023 and 2025.

A recent opinion panel shows that Dutch trust in NATO is relatively weak after recent tensions with the United States, with many concerned that the U.S. may no longer be a dependable ally.

In addition to the debate over a European army, other surveys reveal growing Dutch support for European collaboration on security and political matters. Eurobarometer data show that a strong majority of the Netherlands’ population thinks the EU should be equipped with more resources to address global challenges, particularly in the field of security.