It’s fair to say that over the course of 2025, European relations with the USA have sunk to arguably their lowest ebb in modern history.
Whether it’s Trump’s often ambiguous approach to Russia, his Oval Office confrontation with President Zelensky, his wide-ranging tariffs on the EU, his vice-president visiting to lecture leaders about the supposed death of free-speech in Europe, or the president’s open desire to take control of Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory, trans-Atlantic relations are at a nadir.
This was all before this week, when Trump stood up in front of the UN General Assembly and attacked European nations for trying to fight climate change and claiming their countries are ‘going to hell’ because of migration.
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So, in the context of the year so far, a contest between the USA and Europe carries some extra significance.
That’s exactly what the Ryder Cup is. It’s unique in sport as an opportunity for Europeans to unite in one goal – getting one over on the golfing powerhouse of the US.
12 of Europe’s finest golfers, including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm, will be heading to New York to take on the Americans in the bearpit of Bethpage. The atmosphere will be febrile and unwelcoming, with justified fears that some spectators may overstep the mark at some points with their passion.
Now, at this point some of you may say politics and political narratives should be kept out of sport.
Except the Americans have made it political. The president’s love of golf is well-publicised and he will be visiting on Friday afternoon, a visit that is looming over the event like a Trump blimp.
Whilst the Europeans – who start the tournament as underdogs although have plenty of belief that they could deliver a first Ryder Cup win on US soil since the Miracle of Medinah in 2012 – have largely batted away talk of Trump and politics, the same can’t be said for their Amercan counterparts.
The US golfers haven’t shied away from praising Trump. This week, their talisman and the world number one Scottie Scheffler said Trump often texts him after wins and spoke lavishly of the president, saying he “does such a good job of feeding confidence into everybody around him.”
“That was one of the things I noticed a lot with the little bit of time I spent with him, is he treats everybody the same and treats people with the utmost respect,” he added.
Meanwhile, US captain Keegan Bradley said he was “thrilled” Trump would be in attendance on the first day, and Bryson DeChambeau called on Trump to “inspire” the Americans to Ryder Cup victory.
The brashness and brawn of the Americans against the flair and unity of the Europeans has always been one of the great narratives of the Ryder Cup. The rivalry is intense but always well-natured.
But this year, the political backdrop is impossible to ignore.
And imagine this scenario come Sunday night: 12 proud Europeans travelling to Donald Trump’s hometown to beat his beloved US at the sport he loves the most.
Golf fan or not, that will be something all Europeans can enjoy.