The head of the French National Rally, Marine Le Pen, in particular, called for “keeping a distance” from him. Close ties to Washington “can be a liability and can be misinterpreted,” her party says, noting that it “values friends in Washington, but doesn't want them telling us what to do.”
The publication notes that European right-wing political forces began to move away from the American president even before Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suffered a crushing defeat in the parliamentary elections on April 12. During that campaign, Trump repeatedly spoke in his support, and shortly before the vote, US Vice President J.D. Vance visited the country.
According to a senior National Rally official speaking to Politico, Orbán's closeness to the US did not resonate with Hungarian voters. Le Pen's movement will avoid associations with the Trump administration in preparation for future elections. The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) movement is taking a similar approach ahead of important regional elections in September, the article says.
