Donald Trump a ballast for Europe? Far-right leaders are massively distancing themselves from the US president

Close ties with Donald Trump have become political ballast for the far right in Europe; the leaders of such formations in Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy are trying to distance themselves from the ideas of the US president – wrote the New York Times on Tuesday.

Leaders of nationalist, sovereignist and anti-immigrant parties considered Trump an ideological ally, but now they are trying to distance themselves from the president's moves or statements that offend national pride or call into question the value of alliances with European countries. The “America First” doctrine is becoming a source of trouble for the far right, says “NYT”.

The head of the far-right British Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, called Trump's statements about the need to occupy Greenland “a very hostile act.” Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, largely perceived as a politician very favorable to Trump, issued a statement condemning the US president's statement about the insignificant role that European soldiers were supposed to play in Afghanistan. Jordan Bardella, head of the French far-right National Rally, said Trump's position towards Greenland was “unacceptable” and called threats to impose further tariffs on French exports blackmail.

It looks like that Openly admitting ties with the US president has become “treacherous and dangerous” for parties that previously praised his policies and enjoyed his support. – concludes the daily.

Far-right voters negatively evaluate Trump's policy

It is not without significance that a large part of potential voters of far-right formations declared in polls, even those conducted a few weeks earlier, that they assessed Trump's policy negatively.

So Meloni issued a statement criticizing Trump for disrespecting allies, and Bardella went a step further and announced last week that Europe faces a choice between “a form of vassalization under the guise of transatlantic partnership” or a decisive response to Washington's actions. Alice Weidel, co-chair of Germany's far-right AfD, said the U.S. operation in Venezuela was a “violation of (Trump's) fundamental campaign promise not to interfere in the affairs of other countries,” reports the NYT.

However, there are also opposing voices – the daily notes – the second head of the AfD, Tino Chrupalla, praised Trump's foreign plans and declared that international law “must be renegotiated” and “Venezuela belongs to America's sphere of influence, just as Ukraine belongs to Russia's sphere of influence.”

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