Washington, 10 December (H.S.):
US President Donald Trump reignited tensions with Washington’s long-standing European allies on Tuesday, describing Europe as “decaying” and “weak” while deriding its immigration policies and stance on the Ukraine crisis.
In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, Trump claimed that European leaders lacked resolve and accused them of relying too heavily on US protection through NATO. “Most European nations are decaying,” he said, describing their migrant policies as “a disaster” and asserting that political correctness has made them “weak.”
The 79-year-old president, known for his incendiary rhetoric, also quipped that NATO “calls me daddy,” referring to comments made by alliance chief Mark Rutte during a June summit endorsing US pressure for increased defence spending. “They talk but don’t produce,” Trump added.
“And the war just keeps going on and on.”Trump’s remarks come days after his administration unveiled a new national security strategy that alarmed European capitals with language invoking “civilizational threats” and the need to “cultivate resistance” against migration. Critics say the document echoes far-right conspiracy theories, such as the “great replacement” narrative.
French minister Alice Rufo on Tuesday described it as “an extremely brutal clarification of the US ideological stance.”The president also unleashed personal attacks against several European leaders, singling out London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan — whom he called “horrible” and “disgusting.”
Khan responded that Trump’s obsession with him was “irrational,” noting that “Americans are choosing to live in London, not the other way around.”Turning to Ukraine, Trump accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of exploiting the war to delay elections, saying, “It gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”
He urged Kyiv to hold elections despite the country being under martial law. Regular polls were due in March 2024 but were suspended following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Trump further argued that Moscow currently has “the upper hand” in the nearly four-year conflict and insisted that Zelensky should consider the US-drafted peace proposal, which several European governments fear could compel Kyiv to cede territory to Russia.
In response, Zelensky said he remained “ready for elections” if security could be guaranteed and disclosed that Ukraine would send a revised proposal to Washington within a day.
Analysts say Trump’s comments reflect a growing ideological gap between Washington and European allies and risk undermining NATO cohesion at a time when unity is crucial to confronting Russia’s continued aggression.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
