Trump blasts "decaying" Europe but praises Orbán, Erdoğan
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President Trump greets Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Nov. 6. Photo: Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post via Getty Images
President Trump offered a grim assessment of America's closest allies in a new interview, dismissing European nations as "decaying" while embracing authoritarian leaders who enforce strict borders.
Why it matters: The broadside lands as Europe is already rattled by Trump's tariffs and his push for a Ukraine peace deal that European leaders fear favors Russia and marginalizes the rest of the continent.
Driving the news: In a wide-ranging sit-down with Politico's Dasha Burns, Trump backed his administration's new national security strategy, which calls for the U.S. to "cultivate resistance to Europe's current trajectory."
- The White House released the strategy last week, calling it the "'Trump Corollary' to the Monroe Doctrine."
- "NATO calls me 'Daddy,'" Trump told Burns. "I have a lot to say about it."
What he's saying: Europe, Trump said, is "decaying." He blamed immigration, saying "many of those countries will not be viable countries any longer."
- He singled out London Mayor Sadiq Khan as "a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor," and lamented changes to Paris and London due to immigration.
- "They want to be politically correct, and it makes them weak," Trump said of European leaders.
Zoom in: The president framed his criticism as personal. "My roots are in Europe," he said, "… and I hate to see that happen. This is one of the great places in the world, and they're allowing people just to come in, unchecked, unvetted."
- Europe is already racing to tighten migration rules.
Between the lines: Trump held up Hungary's Viktor Orbán as a model because "he allows nobody in his country" and praised Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as "a tough cookie" and "a friend of mine."
- He said European leaders ask him to call Erdoğan when "they can't speak to him."
- Trump also said Orbán asked for access to a $20 billion U.S.-backed financial shield. While he "didn't promise him," he noted Orbán was "doing a very good job" on immigration.
- Asked if he'd get involved in European elections, Trump said: "I'd endorse. I've endorsed people," including Orbán.
State of play: Trump questioned the value of further NATO expansion, saying "there aren't that many left" to join."
- He then mocked the alliance's newest member, claiming Sweden had gone from being "crime free" to "very unsafe," despite its far lower crime rates than the U.S.
What we're watching: Trump also vowed to "increase tariffs" even more on some goods.
The bottom line: Trump is signaling a willingness to continue challenging America's closest democratic allies while bolstering leaders who restrict press freedom and civil liberties.
