US President Donald Trump has launched another scathing attack on Europe, describing the continent as “decaying” and “weak” on immigration and the war in Ukraine, in comments that further strain Washington’s ties with its long-standing allies.
In an interview published Tuesday by Politico, Trump also urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to conduct elections despite the ongoing Russian invasion, insisting that Moscow currently holds “the upper hand.”
The remarks come days after the Trump administration unveiled a controversial national security strategy that critics say echoes far-right narratives and warns of Europe’s so-called “civilizational erasure.”
“Most European nations, they’re decaying,” Trump said. “They want to be politically correct, and it makes them weak. That’s what makes them weak.”
The US president, known for his inflammatory rhetoric on immigration, described European migration policies as a “disaster” and accused European leaders of failing to address the issue effectively.
Trump also took aim at European countries over their handling of the war in Ukraine, asserting that NATO members were not matching their rhetoric with action.
“They talk but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on,” he said.
His remarks come amid disagreements over a draft US peace proposal, which some European governments fear could pressure Kyiv into ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia.
Despite his criticism of Washington’s allies, Trump noted that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had once joked that the alliance “calls him daddy,” referencing the US president’s push for increased defence spending.
European capitals have reacted with alarm to the US national security strategy released last week, which promotes “cultivating resistance” to migration and warns of the “erasure” of European identity.
French minister Alice Rufo described the document as “an extremely brutal clarification” of the US ideological stance.
Analysts have pointed out similarities between parts of the strategy and the controversial “great replacement theory” circulated by far-right groups and amplified by Trump’s former ally Elon Musk.
Trump also reignited his feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, calling him “horrible, vicious, disgusting.” Khan, Britain’s first Muslim mayor, told Politico that Trump was “obsessed” with him and claimed Americans were “flocking” to live in London.
On Ukraine, Trump renewed his criticism of Zelensky, whom he previously labelled a “dictator without elections.”
“I think it’s an important time to hold an election,” Trump said. “They’re using war not to hold an election. It gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”
Ukraine’s elections were due in March 2024 but were postponed under martial law following the Russian invasion. About 20% of the country remains under Russian occupation.
Zelensky responded Tuesday, saying he was “ready for elections” once security could be guaranteed. He added that Ukraine would send its updated version of the US peace plan the following day.
US negotiators recently held talks in Moscow and later with Ukrainian officials, though no breakthrough has been reported.