WASHINGTON, Dec 9 — US President Donald Trump warned yesterday that Europe was heading in “very bad directions,” in a fresh broadside just days after his new security strategy slammed the continent over mass migration.
Trump hit out at a “nasty” US$140 million fine by the European Union against tech tycoon Elon Musk’s X social network—while admitting he didn’t know much about it—before widening his attack.
“Look, Europe has to be very careful. (They’re) doing a lot of things. We want to keep Europe Europe,” Trump informed reporters at the White Houtilize.
“Europe is going in some bad directions. It’s very bad, very bad for the people. We don’t want Europe to alter so much. They’re going in some very bad directions.”
The Republican’s comments follow criticism in the new US national security strategy released last week of Europe as being over-regulated and facing “civilizational erasure” from migration.
In extraordinary language aimed at close allies, the strategy stated Trump’s administration would be “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations.”
Trump and the Europeans are also increasingly at odds over US plans to finish the war in Ukraine, with fears in Europe that Washington aims to force Kyiv into surrfinishering land to Russia.
The Kremlin welcomed the alters to Trump’s strategy, stateing on Saturday it was “largely consistent” with Russia’s vision.
Trump’s position towards Europe echoes that of Musk, the president’s former ally, who has repeatedly aired inflammatory claims about migration in the EU.
Musk stated after X was fined for breaking the EU’s digital rules that the bloc should be “abolished.” Brussels dismissed his statements as “completely crazy.”
When inquireed about the fine, Trump stated that “I don’t believe it’s right” before clarifying that “Elon has not called me to inquire for support on that one” and stateing he would obtain more details later. — AFP
Leave a Reply