Majority of Americans do not care, unlike what always online political social media wants you to believe. It’s not really a big concern for us what is going on in Europe and frankly I prefer that the US does not meddle in foreign affairs, there’s been far too much of that in recent decades especially. So soft power can not exist for all many of us care.
Also, look at social media like reddit even outside of politics, Europeans constantly laugh at Americans for bringing up European heritage but when Europe is in trouble, it’s all “think of Europe!!!” Why? America is in its own safe bubble, Russia is not really a threat to us and personally I’m not even of European heritage so telling me to care so much more about Europe unlike Asia or Africa just falls on deaf ears. I get along with Russians just as much as I get along with the English or French, and this is true for many of us, we’re a country of immigrants but much of that isn’t European in origin and even those of European origin aren’t necessarily thinking of Europe in any regard except as a potential vacation destination.
Also, look at social media like reddit even outside of politics, Europeans constantly laugh at Americans for bringing up European heritage but when Europe is in trouble, it’s all “think of Europe!!!” Why? America is in its own safe bubble, Russia is not really a threat to us and personally I’m not even of European heritage so telling me to care so much more about Europe unlike Asia or Africa just falls on deaf ears. I get along with Russians just as much as I get along with the English or French, and this is true for many of us, we’re a country of immigrants but much of that isn’t European in origin and even those of European origin aren’t necessarily thinking of Europe in any regard except as a potential vacation destination.
The EU simply isn’t that important to many of us.