US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington may have “no choice” but to leave Europe if its leaders fail to change course on migration policies and provide greater support for American military operations....
US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington may have “no choice” but to leave Europe if its leaders fail to change course on migration policies and provide greater support for American military operations.
Trump issued the warning in a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, accusing European governments of failing to control their borders and allowing immigration policies to undermine the continent’s security and cultural identity.
“We stand with Europe, despite its flaws, its weaknesses and, hopefully, its temporary loss of direction. But if they don’t soon find their way, we will have no choice but to leave,” he wrote.
The president singled out France, Italy and Germany, arguing that European governments must tighten border controls and remove people he accused of being hostile to their host countries.
Referring to French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said he had previously warned him about the consequences of failing to secure France’s borders.
“As I told President Macron when I first met him many years ago, close your border or it will be the end of France,” he said.
Trump’s warning also reflected growing tensions over defence cooperation, particularly following what he described as European allies’ refusal to assist Washington during the war involving Iran.
He said the United States had tested its allies by asking for help, despite not needing it, and would not forget their response.
“We spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on NATO protecting them, but when we said, ‘Would you like to help?’ No, thank you,” Trump said during a campaign rally in Kansas on Monday.
The remarks have renewed questions about the future of transatlantic security cooperation and the reliability of American commitments to European allies.
Trump has repeatedly demanded that European countries assume greater responsibility for their own security while criticising what he considers inadequate immigration controls.
His latest comments also came as he campaigned ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, using unrest in France to argue that immigration and border security should be central issues for American voters.
He accused political opponents in the United States of pursuing policies similar to those he blamed for Europe’s problems.
Despite his criticism, Trump said Washington remained supportive of Europe but warned that continued disagreements could force a change in the relationship.
The extent to which his threat could translate into changes to US military deployments or NATO commitments remains unclear.