Europe’s leaders have publicly congratulated US president-elect Donald Trump, despite some of them having previously described him as racist, sexist and neo-Nazi among other slurs.
Officials from Poland, Germany, the UK, France, Spain and elsewhere have all come out to congratulate the soon-to-be leader despite a past history of comments aimed at undermining him.
One controversial set of congratulations issued on November 6 came from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader saying: “Germany and the USA have been working together successfully for a long time to promote prosperity and freedom on both sides of the Atlantic,” adding they would “will continue to do so for the benefit of our citizens”.
Like it or not: Germany’s energy system is fully operational, with more than 50% renewables. And we are shutting down – not building – coal & nuclear plants. Coal will be off the grid by 2038 at the latest. PS: We also don’t eat cats and dogs. #Debate2024 pic.twitter.com/PiDO98Vxfo
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) September 11, 2024
That was despite Scholz’s foreign office openly mocking Trump on its official social media account earlier this year.
Writing during a recent presidential election debate between Trump and failed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, the foreign office denounced claims by the Republican that Germany was having energy issues, before taking aim at his claims that migrants were “eating people’s pets” in Ohio.
“Like it or not, Germany’s energy system is fully operational, with more than 50 per cent renewables,” the foreign office claimed.
“PS: We also don’t eat cats and dogs.”
Best wishes also came in from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who had repeatedly taken aim at Trump over the past few years.
Much of the PM’s publicly-aired criticism began during his time as European Council President, where he lashed out at the then-US president for his tweeting.
“I would like to address President Trump…who for a long time now has been criticizing Europe almost daily for, in his view, insufficient contributions to the common defence capabilities and for living off the US,” he said at one point in 2018.
“Dear America, appreciate your allies — after all, you don’t have that many,” he added.
Tusk’s administration has continued to cosy up to the US Democratic Party, prompting calls from the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party for him to resign upon a Trump victory over fears his position as head of the government would undermine US-Poland relations.
Congratulations also arrived from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, and EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola, all of whom urged the leader to maintain close ties with the bloc.
“Tyrant in a toupée”
“a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”
“a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long”
I think a new British Foreign Secretary may be necessary. pic.twitter.com/jVhGmiiUmq— Adrian Hilton (@Adrian_Hilton) November 6, 2024
Elsewhere, both British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his foreign secretary David Lammy have publicly congratulated Trump online, with the Labour leader insisting the US and UK were the “closest of allies”.
That was a pivot from the party’s previous rhetoric. Lammy, writing in Time Magazine, had previously described the US leader in disparaging terms.
“Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath. He is also a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long,” he said.
The Labour Party as a whole has been accused of attempting to interfere in the US election, with senior party officials having allegedly tried to send their activists to the US to help campaign for the Democratic Party.
The Trump team filed a complaint over the matter with the Federal Election Commission late in October.
The biggest comeback in US political history! Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on his enormous win. A much needed victory for the World!
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) November 6, 2024
Not all of Europe’s leaders were as reserved in their congratulations. Many on the Right responded to the news with jubilation.
“The biggest comeback in US political history!” Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán wrote.
“Congratulations to President Donald Trump on his enormous win. A much needed victory for the World!”
Warm words also came in from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who offered her “most sincere congratulations to the president-elect of the United States”.
“Italy and the United States are ‘sister’ nations, linked by an unshakable alliance, common values and a historic friendship,” she wrote.
“It is a strategic bond, which I am sure we will now strengthen even further.”
Democrat spokesman says #Trump expected to 'divide and conquer' #EU
For more content visit our website 👉🏽 https://t.co/pGzWaeJFnT #USAElections2024 #Election2024 pic.twitter.com/KFIyIJO4b2
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 6, 2024
