European nationalist parties recalibrate after Trump’s return
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Since Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration, some European right-wing parties have reduced their public alignment with him, as they weigh election strategy, foreign-policy controversy, and shifting public sentiment.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, European nationalist parties that once saw his administration as a source of political and financial encouragement have begun to adjust their public posture toward the U.S. president. Analysts note that parties such as the United Kingdom's Reform UK, France's National Rally, Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), Italy's Brothers of Italy and others are reconsidering the practical value of that relationship.
The shift follows a series of controversial U.S. actions, including threats to annex Greenland, a war with Iran, and trade disputes with the European Union, which have been described by European observers as harming the parties' electoral prospects. Robert Benson of the Center for American Progress said the Trump administration "mistaken[ed] cultural affinity for strategic alignment" with European far-right groups.
In an interview with The Economist, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel expressed disapproval of Trump's approach, noting that his remarks and policies have become a political liability for European allies. > "Trump's repeated threats to invade Greenland, his attacks on the pope and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and his trade war on the EU have made the friendship electorally costly," wrote Armida van Rij in Strategic Europe.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who previously maintained a close rapport with Trump, has publicly described the president as a "toxic asset" in recent commentary. In France, Marine Le Pen has avoided mentioning Trump during her campaign, while her deputy Jordan Bardella criticized the "totally erratic" war in Iran.
Think-tank analysts such as Dominique Moïsi of Institut Montaigne argue that Trump's declining approval ratings and the United States' unfavorable perception across Europe have turned his endorsement into a disadvantage for right-wing parties seeking mainstream legitimacy.
The overall trend suggests that, despite earlier cooperation, European far-right movements are now prioritizing national political calculations over alignment with the Trump administration.