Severe crises are a frequent theme in the history of transatlantic relations. The Western security community has had to deal with numerous internal controversies and external challenges. Arguing from the perspective of role theory in international relations, I try to make sense of the shifting pattern of crises and resilience in transatlantic security relations, arguing that intra-role conflicts and evolving ego/alter interactions between states can help to understand trans-Atlantic relations. In this setting I examine Germany’s out-of-area debate (1993-1999) and the new burden-sharing struggle from Obama to Trump (2008-).
