US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized European leaders, declaring directly from the Oval Office that illegal migration and current energy policies are literally "killing" the European continent.
His words come at a time of heightened global tension and coincide with leaked information about an unprecedented reduction in Washington's diplomatic presence around the world.
According to apnews.com, Trump has identified two main problems facing cohesion and the future of Europe. “Two things are killing Europe. Number one is immigration. Number two is energy“, the American head of state was categorical.
He called for immediate tough measures against illegal border crossings, citing the crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta as an example and urging European governments to begin mass deportations before it was too late.
Regarding energy, Trump criticized the renewable energy sector (in particular wind turbines) and advised countries such as the UK to urgently resume and expand their oil drilling in the North Sea in order to halve the prices of resources.
US closes consulates in Canada, Japan and Indonesia
In parallel with the political pressure on Europe, the Trump administration is launching a large-scale plan to reorganize its own structures within the framework of the “America First“ doctrine. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that the US State Department has already notified Congress of its plans to close five key overseas missions.
Among the sites subject to closure in order to optimize costs are:
- Consulate in Winnipeg (Canada)
- Consulate in Nagoya (Japan)
- Consulate in Medan (Indonesia)
- Embassy in St. Georges (Grenada)
- The diplomatic mission in Douala, Cameroon
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the measures, describing them as urgently needed to cut costs in a "bloated and overly bureaucratic organization", quoted by straitstimes.com. However, critics from the Democratic Party have warned that such a voluntary reduction in Washington's global footprint could open a dangerous vacuum that could quickly be filled by geopolitical rivals such as China and Russia.