Europe's far-right and populist parties are increasingly turning away from Donald Trump due to a clash between his aggressive foreign policy and their own core principles of national sovereignty.

 

Why Europe's far right is turning away from Trump

Europe's far-right and populist parties are increasingly turning away from Donald Trump due to a clash between his aggressive foreign policy and their own core principles of national sovereignty. While these factions initially celebrated Trump's return to the White House and shared a mutual "America First" alignment against immigration and globalism, a series of highly controversial actions in 2026 transformed Trump into a political liability across Europe.

Four primary factors explain this widening rift:

1. The US-Israeli War on Iran

The primary catalyst for the split has been the US-Israeli airstrikes against Iran. European populist leaders originally backed Trump because he presented himself as a "peace president" who would end endless foreign interventions. Leaders like Tino Chrupalla (co-leader of Germany's Alternative for Germany) have openly stated that Trump has instead become a "war president."

The conflict has raised severe domestic anxieties in Europe regarding:

• Energy Price Surges: Escallating tensions have directly driven up fuel costs, hitting European populations heavily.
• Migration Waves: Far-right leaders fear the regional instability will trigger a massive new wave of Middle Eastern refugees toward Europe.

2. Territorial Demands for Greenland

Trump's repeated, public demands for Denmark to cede Greenland to the US—coupled with threats of 10% economic tariffs on European nations that object—deeply offended European nationalists. For parties built strictly on patriotism and national independence, Trump's actions were perceived as direct imperialism and a threat to European sovereignty. Jordan Bardella, president of France’s National Rally, heavily criticized the move as "unacceptable", while Italy’s Giorgia Meloni publicly broke ranks with Trump over his Greenland aspirations.

3. Attacks on the Pope

Tensions between Trump and Italy's Giorgia Meloni escalated dramatically following Trump's public dispute with Pope Francis. After the Pope condemned US strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure as "unacceptable," Trump accused the Pope of wanting Iran to possess nuclear weapons. For highly Catholic, traditionalist voter bases in countries like Italy, attacking the Pope crossed a vital moral boundary. Meloni—once viewed as Europe’s "Trump whisperer"—distanced herself following the tirade.

4. Severe Electoral Unpopularity

Aligning with Trump has become an acute domestic electoral risk. Trump suffers massive disapproval ratings across Western Europe, with a significant majority of Europeans expressing deep mistrust in his leadership. Extreme right-wing leaders like Marine Le Pen in France—who has a strong chance of winning the French presidential election next year—and Reform UK's Nigel Farage are actively pivoting to prevent a negative "Trump effect" from hurting their standing at home. Supporting Trump is no longer seen as a vote-winner, prompting these parties to rebrand away from Washington