That explains your position, thanks a lot for the insights! I wish you were right, but what I feel and observe is different. Let me try to explain:

> US never went to Iraq to save the world. It was for their own gains and that's fine.

I assume you don't have any problem thinking that the people in Iraq is not super fond of the US, given that the US have not only invaded them but also destabilised the region. Maybe it was fine for the US, it was not for Iraq.

> It's very reactionary to suddenly hate them.

If many americans think like you, it probably explains a big disconnect between americans and non-americans: from the outside, this time it's serious. During his first term, Trump was saying a lot of stuff that never materialised. This time is different.

First, it is sudden in terms of timeline, but it's not just one small reason. The US government is being hostile across the board. By starting an economical war, by threatening to invade or to annex, by suddenly destroying a decades-old military alliance (NATO), by changing side in an active war, by actively and openly destabilising democracies (not with the CIA, but by e.g. overtly supporting neo-nazis and bribery) and many others. In my whole life, not only I have never seen anything close to that, but I did not actually imagine it could happen. This time is very different.

Since the beginning of the mandate, every single day brings new hostile behaviours. "The US is destroying its own institutions? Well... that sounds weird, but apparently the people support that, it's their choice. But the US is actively trying to hurt us and the people support that? Not okay".

Europeans, Canadians (and others of course) genuinely feel threatened. People are anxious. What happens if we get into a global war soon, with the US on the side of the authoritarian regimes? Most of the military equipment in Europe is at least related to the US, and the US now looks like they are on Russia's side.

Maybe you don't believe it. Maybe you believe that Trump is playing 4D chess and is not letting Ukraine and Europe down. That would explain our disconnect. But let me tell you: people in Europe believe that the US is not on their side anymore, and that's genuinely scary.

> So if the next day the US gives EU / Canada freebies you'll be best friends again? That's a joke.

I think it happened in the past: the US would abuse their dominant position, then give freebies and all would be okay. That was the norm, people were used to it. This time, I think the US has deeply broken the trust. It's not your good friend who got drunk and insulted you again, it's your good friend who slept with your wife and seriously pointed a gun at you: a whole different level. Not really a friend anymore.

> Again, US did not suddenly wake up and become "evil".

Probably not. But Europe woke up to see that it was suddenly okay for those in power in the US to make nazi salutes, and the people seem fine with it. I understand that people in the US don't realise how badly that is perceived in Europe. A nazi salute is a line pretty much everywhere in Europe. It is extremely violent.

> Not everyone is 24/7 into politics.

That's where I think you are completely disconnected from what is happening in Europe. Maybe in the US that is still the case: "Let's see if Trump makes America great in the next 6 months, it's worth trying". In Europe, this is the biggest concern right now. People are genuinely scared about the war and the fact that the US now seem to be on Russia's side, with Russia threatening all of Europe and with the US potentially waiting for that to invade European territories on the other side.

> Don't complicate the situation.

Don't under-estimate it. Many people in the West try to avoid the news these days. Not because they don't care, but because they are scared.