Trump Spent a Decade Making Friends in Europe

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Now they're turning away. From Italy to France, nationalist leaders are reassessing their ties with the U.S. president as his brand sours across the EU.

Posted by lamplighter at 10:31 AM | 6 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was supposed to be the one leader in Western Europe whom Trump could get along with. He instead set his relationship with her on fire -- for no reason and to the benefit of no one. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo ...

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-- Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 9:26 AM Â· Jun 22, 2026

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More from the article ...

... For Europe's populist right, U.S. President Donald Trump's embrace was once seen as a political asset. Not anymore.

For years, nationalist leaders across the continent treated the American president's support as proof that their politics had gone global. But with major elections looming in 2027, including in Italy, France and Poland, many are rethinking the value of that transatlantic backing.

Trump's brand in Europe has soured -- curdled by his tariff wars, threats against Greenland and a war on Iran that increased energy prices.

His interventions, once welcomed by his ideological allies, are now seen as political explosives: liable to alienate moderate voters, split nationalist electorates and hand ammunition to their opponents. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-06-23 12:16 AM | Reply

So, it does not seem to be just the United States where Pres Trump's approval is plummeting?

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-06-23 12:17 AM | Reply

That's no problem for anyone. Trump only needed to get the fascist ball rolling. He's done that work well enough.

Trump doesn't have any friends anyway. He doesn't like anyone but himself. Trump raping his daughter Ivanka is the only way Trump knows to express love for himself. And that ended decades ago. When she got too old and hairy.

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-06-23 12:29 AM | Reply

The Ugly American, oversized.

#4 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-06-23 06:34 AM | Reply

The closest thing to a friend that the mango Mussolini had in Europe was Orban.
Everyone else just put up with him, waiting this mess out.

#5 | Posted by morris at 2026-06-23 02:04 PM | Reply

I'm still waiting for the day Trump finally realizes personal embarrassment, like in Confederacy of Dunces when Ignatius pees all over his pants after an explosion in the science lab and he has to hide it.

#6 | Posted by Dbt2 at 2026-06-24 10:05 AM | Reply