How friendly will Europe’s right wing be to Trump about China? It’s complicated

“USA today. The future has begun!” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted a message on

Two days earlier, Trump dined with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a reception for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, telling reporters she was “a real live broadcaster” that he “got on well with.”

It is no surprise that Trump would get along with the two European right-wing leaders. They share similar views on the challenge of immigration and many other social issues that define the populist zeal that brought both to power.

Trump, who has often treated Brussels with derision, is also known for trying to work with leaders he likes, even if that conflicts with the traditional commitments that US President Joe Biden relied on to provide transatlantic leadership of Washington to strengthen.

However, given Trump’s confrontational approach to international relations during his first term, few expect a continuation of Biden’s methods. Many of Europe’s far-right leaders are celebrating Trump’s return, and analysts speculate that his ties to the European right will influence the EU’s China policy – ​​and vice versa.

However, Orban and Meloni, two of Trump’s European allies and leaders of the EU’s most successful right-wing factions, differ on their China strategies – one is considered ‘China-friendly’, the other is tougher – which predicts about the path Trump will follow. tack.