Trump's message about Romania leaves the sovereignists offside. “Is it about Jorjel or Cegeu?”

“The relationship with Romania is very good. I like the Romanians a lot, I think they are a great people” – the statement made by the US president, Donald Trump, during a conference with Victor Orban, which was intensively commented by analysts and users of various online platforms.

Trump also discussed Romania at the meeting with Orban. PHOTO: Profimedia

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Donald Trump in Washington on Friday for talks that included the war in Ukraine and oil imports. The meeting generated public statements about the presence of American troops in Romania.

During the conference, the subject of the partial withdrawal announced by the Pentagon from the Kogălniceanu base was brought up again by journalists.

To the direct question — “You said you would not withdraw troops from Europe, but the Pentagon announced that it had decided to withdraw a significant number of troops from Romania. Did you change your mind or did the Pentagon ignore the decision?” — Trump retorted: “No, the Pentagon is not ignoring anything I say. We are still making changes, in total it is the same number, only we are moving more people, I like the Romanians a lot, I think they are a great people”.

The US president then urged Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to come up with the details: “Everything we did was coordinated with the White House, everything is part of the perspective we have towards Europe and there will be troops in Romania, it will just be a change in the way we do the rotation.”

Trump also emphasized that “the relationship with Romania is very good, the relationship with Europe is very good”, also adding observations about European immigration policy and a recent trade agreement: “I don't agree with what Europe is doing on immigration, but I agree with them on a lot of other things, we just signed the best trade deal ever – $950 billion and we got it because of tariffs and it's a very good deal. We used to be treated badly.”

“It's not about any withdrawal policy”

Security analyst Hari Bucur Marcu commented for “Adevărul” the significance of the statements: “President Trump has been very clear, and the Secretary of War/Defense has added that this is not a policy of withdrawing the American presence from Romania or Europe. Simply put, the Americans plan to stop using their rapid reaction forces for rotational presence in Europe (and probably not elsewhere).”

Economist Andrei Caramitru offered a more acidic reaction on the networks: “Is Trump's message today about George or blind? Or is it the other way around? The complete opposite? Wow, how stupid you are…”.

Caramitru discussed the thesis of the Romanian sovereignists according to which relations between the USA and Romania are strained due to the cancellation of last year's presidential elections. Recently, the connection was made between the appointment of Oana Gheorghiu as deputy prime minister, in the context in which the activist criticized Trump's policy on social networks.

Public reactions: the sovereignists are now silent

An intense debate took place on Reddit, with polarized views. Here are some of the published comments:

“They have little left and apologize for withdrawing the troops. “Very good relations” – I hope the sovereignists appreciate the merits of Toiu and Moșteanu!”

“The sovereignists are now silent. They were very happy when they heard that the Americans were leaving and the Russians were coming.”

“I'm not silent. I'm saying that it's fake, that he's lying, that he's talking about the Romanian people, not Nicușor Dan, etc.“, someone came up with the reply.

“It's a bit fake when you boast that you are in good relations with Romania after it gave us a visa waiver“.

“For better or for worse, we are still in NATO. If Article 5 is not respected, regardless of the country/countries, the whole alliance is doomed”, someone else intervened.

“We don't care what he said because it flatters our ego, but because it tickles the trumpeter's,” someone else mentioned.

Other commentators say Trump would have an economic interest: “Pfoaaaa… found out we have some oil left… “Very good deal, very good people, missing some… FREEEEDDOOOOMMM.”

“It's a pity that we are being talked about, but there is no one present to represent us… It was nice to be talked to, not just about us,” someone else commented.

“You can't be safe with Trump”

Other commentators argue that the US president's statements are very moving:

“If you're still not used to Trump's statements changing directions every time his diapers are changed…”

“Today, tomorrow who knows what else he says. You can't be sure with Trump, he doesn't change his mind by the end of the day.”

“Do you really take seriously anything the orange man says? I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks that Romanians are the inhabitants of Rome. He speaks for good or bad depending on how his burger went down the night before. Today he says “Putin good”, tomorrow “Putin mailu”, today high rates, tomorrow he lowers them. It's a bad comedy that the other heads of state have to lick him sick to get something done with that decrepitude.”

“Today we are on good terms. Tomorrow we will see… Trump is not a person who has direction and consistency… he bends with the wind.”

“Is Trump negotiating something with Orbán saying how cool Romania is?”, observed another user.