Donald Trump has stepped up his public attack on the European Union, accusing the bloc of hypocrisy over payments for Russian energy and linking European migration policy to the growth of extremism. According to a Daily Mail article, the dispute is developing against the backdrop of new disagreements between Washington and European capitals over the future of NATO and support for Ukraine.
The reason for another exchange of sharp remarks is the agreement announced by Trump to purchase Russian diesel fuel. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described this as a “gift” for the Kremlin, and European leaders have criticized the US president for funding the Russian military machine in this way.
Trump responded with a post on the social network Truth Social: “The European Union paid Russia $250 billion for energy, and the fake media doesn't want to go near this story. I made the right choice for the American people - always America first.“
Migration as a main issue
For months, the US president has made migration a central argument against European governments. He also commented on the protests in France, rejecting the explanation that they are mainly caused by problems in schools.
“What is happening in France is nothing more than uncontrolled mass migration. This is not about schools, but about Islam's desire to conquer a once great country," Trump wrote.Washington has already presented migration as a factor in Europe's security. The counterterrorism strategy, led by coordinator Sebastian Gorka, claims that well-organized hostile groups exploit open borders and the associated “globalist ideals“.
The document also says that the continuation of current European policies increases the risk of terrorist acts. The strategy describes Europe as the cradle of Western culture and values, which, according to the authors, must stop its “deliberate decline“.
Warnings for the future of Europe
Similar assessments are also embedded in the US national security strategy, published in December. It speaks of "civilizational obliteration" due to uncontrolled borders and predicts that Europe could be "unrecognizable" in 20 years.
The document states that within a few decades, some NATO countries could have a non-European majority population. This places migration not only at the center of the domestic political debate in the United States, but also as an issue that Washington links to the sustainability of the transatlantic alliance.
The clash with Macron
One of Trump's most acute personal conflicts in Europe is with French President Emmanuel Macron. The American leader accused him of not providing enough assistance for military action against Iran and said he had asked France to immediately send ships to the Persian Gulf.
Macron responded that Trump's comments about his marriage were "neither elegant nor at the necessary level". The speaker of the National Assembly, Yael Brown-Pivet, said the words were unacceptable at a time when wars and decisions affecting millions of people are being discussed.
Manuel Bompard of "France Undaunted" also defended Macron, even though his party is among the president's harshest critics. According to him, the way Trump spoke about the French head of state and his wife was "absolutely unacceptable".
The migration pressure remains another source of tension between Washington and European governments. The mass crossing from Morocco to Ceuta on July 30 and 31 saw at least 72,000 people enter the Spanish enclave, and at least 100 people die. The incident has further intensified the dispute over borders, security and the responsibility of European states.