Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
US President Donald Trump has intensified his rhetoric against Europe, launching one of his sharpest critiques yet of America’s traditional allies. In an interview published Tuesday by Politico, Trump described European nations as “deteriorating” and their leaders as “weak,” escalating tensions already strained by disagreements over immigration and the war in Ukraine.
The comments come at a delicate moment in efforts to negotiate an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war and as concern grows in European capitals over Washington’s reliability as a partner. Trump offered no reassurances that the United States would maintain long-term support for Ukraine, instead suggesting that Russia currently holds the stronger position on the battlefield.
According to Politico, Trump dismissed the strategic value of America’s long-standing alliances, arguing that European governments have failed on key issues such as border control, migration management, and the pursuit of a political resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. He also hinted at his intention to back European political figures who align with his worldview, a move that could further strain transatlantic relations.
“I think they are weak,” Trump said of European leaders. “But I also think they are obsessed with political correctness. They don’t know what they’re doing. Europe doesn’t know what needs to be done.”
The remarks arrive on the heels of the Trump administration’s new national security strategy, which alarmed several European governments. The document outlines a confrontational approach toward the prevailing European political order, pledging to “seed resistance” to policies favored by mainstream parties—particularly on immigration and other sensitive issues.
Trump doubled down on this critique during the interview, describing major European cities such as London and Paris as “exhausted” by migration from the Middle East and Africa. Without significant changes to border policies, he warned, some European countries “will no longer be viable.”
He also unleashed a direct attack on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, calling him a “disaster” and attributing his election to demographic change driven by migration. Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants and London’s first Muslim mayor, has frequently clashed with Trump over issues ranging from terrorism to diversity.
The European Council’s new president, António Costa, responded Monday with a pointed rebuke of the US administration’s posture. Costa urged Washington to respect European sovereignty, saying, “Allies do not threaten to intervene in each other’s democratic life or domestic political choices.”
Trump, however, showed no sign of backing down. He confirmed that he intends to continue supporting candidates he favors in Europe, even when such endorsements provoke controversy. “I’ve endorsed people many Europeans don’t like,” he said. “I endorsed Viktor Orbán,” referring to the Hungarian prime minister, whom Trump has long praised for his hardline stance on border security.
Although the interview covered multiple topics, the war in Ukraine remained central. Trump claimed he has drafted a new peace proposal that some Ukrainian officials have found promising, though it has not yet been presented to President Volodymyr Zelensky. “It would be good if he reads it,” Trump said.
The president also signaled a willingness to reshape US policy on several domestic and international fronts. He said he would require any new Federal Reserve chair to commit to an immediate reduction in interest rates. He also suggested expanding US counter-narcotics military operations into Mexico and Colombia.
In a notable aside, Trump urged two conservative US Supreme Court justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, both in their seventies to remain on the bench, highlighting the importance he places on preserving the Court’s conservative majority.
Trump’s broadside against Europe is likely to further deepen rifts at a time when Western unity remains crucial for navigating global security challenges. European leaders, already wary of Washington’s shifting posture, may now face increasing uncertainty over the trajectory of transatlantic relations.
