POLITICO - December 9, 2025 - Show some ‘respect,’ EU chief (Antonio Costa) warns Trump after blistering attack on Europe The U.S. president thinks the continent is run by weaklings, but millions of Europeans beg to differ, top officials say.

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Show some ‘respect,’ EU chief warns Trump after blistering attack on Europe

The U.S. president thinks the continent is run by weaklings, but millions of Europeans beg to differ, top officials say.

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European Council President António Costa said Europe and the U.S. “must act as allies” — and urged the Republican leader to show “respect.” | Paul Faith / AFP via Getty Images

December 9, 2025 1:41 pm CET

By Seb Starcevic and Zoya Sheftalovich

Top EU officials tried to set the record straight Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump denounced Europe as a “decaying” group of countries ruled by “weak” leaders.

Trump slammed Europe as poorly governed and failing to regulate migration in an interview with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns that aired Tuesday in a special episode of The Conversation podcast. 

“I think they’re weak,” the Republican said, referring to the continent’s presidents and prime ministers, adding, “I think they don’t know what to do. Europe doesn’t know what to do.” 

European Council President António Costa said Europe and the U.S. “must act as allies” — and urged the Republican leader to show “respect.”

“We respect the choice of Americans, and they need to respect the democratic choices of our citizens,” he added during a press conference in Ireland. “When all the leaders elect me President of the European Council, President Trump must respect this. As we respect that American citizens elected him President of the United States. It is like this, that allies behave with each other.” 

Asked by POLITICO to respond to Trump’s withering assessment, the European Commission’s Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho mounted a spirited defense of Europe’s leaders.  

“We are very pleased and grateful to have excellent leaders, starting with the leader in this house, president of the European Commission von der Leyen, who we are really proud of, who can lead us in the many challenges that the world is facing,” Pinho said.  

Pinho also lauded the “many other leaders at the head of the 27 member states that are part of this European project, of this peace project, who are leading the EU with all the challenges that it is facing, from trade to war in our neighborhood.” 

She added, “So let me use the opportunity to reiterate what is the sense of many of the millions of citizens in the EU: We are proud of our leaders.”

Europe has repeatedly come under attack from the Trump administration in recent days, with a U.S. national security manifesto suggesting the continent is in civilizational decline, and top officials lambasting the bloc for censorship after the Commission fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X €120 million for breaching transparency rules. 

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