Trump Calls Europe “Decaying” And “Weak” in Interview With POLITICO
In an interview with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns, aired Tuesday on The Conversation podcast, President Donald Trump described Europe as a “decaying” group of countries led by “weak” politicians. Speaking about Europe’s leadership, he said, “I think they’re weak,” and added, “I think they don’t know what to do. Europe doesn’t know what to do.”
His comments quickly drew complaints from European officials, who said the United States and Europe should treat each other as partners, not rivals.
António Costa In Ireland Urges Trump To “Show Respect”
At a press conference in Ireland, the president of the European Council, António Costa, answered Trump’s remarks with a clear message about diplomacy.
We respect the choice of Americans, and they need to respect the democratic choices of our citizens. (…) When all the leaders elect me President of the European Council, President Trump must respect this. As we respect that American citizens elected him President of the United States. It is like this, that allies behave with each other.
Antonio Costa, President of the European Council
Paula Pinho Defends Leaders Of The EU’s 27 Member States
From Brussels, Paula Pinho, the European Commission’s chief spokesperson, defended the bloc and its leadership. She praised European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of the 27 member countries, saying:
We are very pleased and grateful to have excellent leaders, starting with the leader in this house, president of the European Commission von der Leyen, who we are really proud of.
Pinho said Europeans were confident about their leadership and added, “So let me use the opportunity to reiterate what is the sense of many of the millions of citizens in the EU: We are proud of our leaders.”
EU Points To €120 Million X Fine Amid Wider Disputes
Trump’s criticism did not stand alone. In recent days, his administration has also attacked Europe in policy papers and public statements. One point of tension has been regulation in the tech sector, after the European Commission fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X €120 million for failing to follow transparency rules.
American officials have described the decision as unfair and restrictive, while European authorities say it was based on existing law. Together, these disagreements show a relationship under strain, even as leaders on both sides continue to describe the alliance as necessary.
Source: POLITICO
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