Trump’s Legacy Leaves Democrats and Europe Facing Uncertain Next Steps

California Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses attendees at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday.

Munich, Germany —

Several Democrats attending this weekend’s Munich Security Conference have presidential ambitions. Yet even if one of them captures the White House in 2028, they may find it difficult to reclaim a mantle every US president has carried since the 1940s: leader of the free world.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom took the stage to argue that his state’s values and institutions will outlast President Donald Trump. Still, he conceded in an interview with CNN that many of the international leaders he met believe the strain on the transatlantic alliance may be permanent.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive New York lawmaker, arrived hoping to promote a populist approach to foreign policy from the left. Instead, she drew attention for a significant misstep.

Several Democratic senators seeking to bolster their foreign policy credentials ahead of potential presidential campaigns encountered an uncomfortable moment with Denmark’s prime minister. The tension arose after Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham opened the meeting with combative remarks suggesting that Trump has not abandoned his interest in Greenland, the semiautonomous Danish territory—prompting some Democrats to attempt to ease the situation.

Meanwhile, most House members who had planned to attend the conference ultimately stayed away after Republican Speaker Mike Johnson canceled the congressional delegation.