US President Donald Trump has launched one of his most forceful attacks yet on America’s traditional European allies describing many European countries as decaying and accusing their leaders of lacking strength, direction and strategic clarity.
In a newly released interview with Politico widely covered across major international outlets, Trump sharply criticised Europe’s handling of immigration, national identity and the war in Ukraine arguing that the continent had lost its political edge.
“Most European nations, they are decaying,” Trump said, insisting that leaders across the continent had become paralysed by political correctness. “I think they are weak but I also think that they want to be so politically correct.”
He argued that Europe’s approach to the war in Ukraine showed a failure of leadership, suggesting that European governments talk but do not produce and that the conflict has dragged on without decisive action.
“They talk but they do not produce and the war just keeps going on and on,” he said, hinting that the US may reassess its role if European allies do not step up.
Trump’s comments come just days after his administration released a national security strategy that criticised Europe’s immigration policies and warned of what it called civilizational risks to the continent, language that has triggered strong political responses across European capitals.
In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed back, saying Europe would not be intimidated into retreating from its commitments. The chancellor warned that the continent must become less dependent on the United States, signalling a renewed push for European defence autonomy.
Analysts say Trump’s latest comments highlight a deepening rift in transatlantic relations. For European leaders, the remarks reinforce concerns that Washington under Trump is increasingly sceptical of traditional alliances even at a time of global security uncertainty.
The criticism is expected to harden political divides within Europe, where debates over identity, migration and sovereignty are already fuelling electoral battles and where Trump’s rhetoric may embolden far right groups positioning themselves as defenders of Western civilisation.
As the U.S prepares for a decisive year in foreign policy, Trump’s message to Europe appears unmistakable, Washington expects change and the era of unquestioned transatlantic alignment may be coming to an end.