The European Commission has set up a dedicated team of officials to prepare for the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House, as the EU devises strategies to deal with a possibly dramatic shift in Washington on issues such as free trade and support for Ukraine.
The closely held group is also determining what impact a Kamala Harris presidency could have for the EU, and how Brussels should be prepared to weather and respond to policy changes after the US elections in November, according to three people briefed on its tasks.
“The [US] election is far from over, so it’s about working out what the implications could be, either way,” said one of the people, all of whom declined to be identified because of the confidential nature of the talks. “Key officials [are] discussing where we need to focus most.”