The GOP under Trump could be a real problem in that regard, but I don't think the GOP actively switches sides so much as just goes hands off. In the short term, Europe can defend itself and even the GOP is smart enough to know that a devastated Europe is going to be bad for the US economy.
Even in the long term, I'd guess Europe gets its act together enough to face down Russia. The problem comes from them being a besieged island rather than an expanding powerbase. It also comes from an emboldened China. Russia has a lot of nukes, but they can't project power. They're going to be China's lackey for a long time to come in a world where authoritarianism is on the march. In such a world China isn't going to 'let' Russia destabilize a world it is conquering through soft power while America sleeps.
The GOP under Trump could be a real problem in that regard, but I don't think the GOP actively switches sides so much as just goes hands off. In the short term, Europe can defend itself and even the GOP is smart enough to know that a devastated Europe is going to be bad for the US economy.
Even in the long term, I'd guess Europe gets its act together enough to face down Russia. The problem comes from them being a besieged island rather than an expanding powerbase. It also comes from an emboldened China. Russia has a lot of nukes, but they can't project power. They're going to be China's lackey for a long time to come in a world where authoritarianism is on the march. In such a world China isn't going to 'let' Russia destabilize a world it is conquering through soft power while America sleeps.