European politics has rarely found itself so squarely in the crosshairs of American rhetoric as it did this past week, when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a pointed warning to former U.S. President Donald Trump: stay out of Europe’s internal affairs. The message comes after a series of stinging critiques from Washington, culminating in Trump publicly deriding Europe as a “declining” collection of nations led by “weak” people. The resulting transatlantic row has laid bare anxieties on both sides of the Atlantic about democracy, sovereignty, and the future of international alliances.
Speaking at the POLITICO 28 gala event in Brussels on December 11, 2025, von der Leyen didn’t mince words. “It is not on us, when it comes to elections, to decide who the leader of the country will be, but on the people of this country… That’s the sovereignty of the voters, and this must be protected. Nobody else is supposed to interfere, without any question,” she declared, as reported by Politico. Her remarks were a direct response to the recently published U.S. National Security Strategy, which, among other things, claims that Europe faces “civilizational destruction” over the next two decades—a narrative that has found favor with some far-right European leaders and Russian propaganda outlets.
Von der Leyen’s comments highlighted a growing sense of European self-assertion. “From the bottom of my heart, I am a convinced transatlanticist,” she said, reiterating her belief in the importance of the U.S.-EU relationship. “But what is so important? [What’s] important is that… we take pride in being the European Union, that we look at our strength and that we deal with the challenges that we do have.” She continued, “Let’s stand up for a unified Europe. This is our task… [to] look at ourselves and be proud of ourselves.” According to Politico, her words were met with applause from the Brussels audience, signaling a moment of European pride in the face of external criticism.
The U.S. National Security Strategy, published just days prior, didn’t stop at predictions of European decline. It also sharply criticized the EU’s efforts to limit the activities of far-right parties, describing such measures as “political censorship.” The document even called for “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations,” a stance that has caused consternation in Brussels and beyond. According to Politico, this rhetoric echoes themes promoted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Kremlin, further complicating the diplomatic landscape.
In response to these perceived threats, the European Union has launched the Democracy Shield project, designed to bolster protections against foreign interference—not just in elections, but across the digital landscape. Von der Leyen explained, “This is one of the reasons why the EU proposed the Democracy Shield, meant to step up the fight against foreign interference online, including in elections.” The initiative, according to Politico, reflects growing concerns in Europe about the vulnerability of democratic institutions to outside influence, especially in the age of social media manipulation and cyberattacks.
Despite the tensions, von der Leyen was careful to stress that her working relationships with U.S. presidents remain “very good.” “Our relationship to the United States has changed. Why? Because we are changing,” she acknowledged. “And this is so important that we keep in mind: what is our position? What is our strength? Let’s work on these. Let’s take pride in that.” Her message was clear: Europe must focus on itself, its unity, and its values, rather than constantly measuring itself against others.
The diplomatic spat was further inflamed by Trump’s recent interview with Politico on December 9, where he described Europe as a “declining” bloc led by “weak” leaders. These remarks, widely circulated in European media, have drawn sharp rebukes—not just from Brussels, but from national politicians across the continent.
One of the most vocal respondents has been Austrian liberal MEP Helmut Brandstätter. In an interview with Euractiv, Brandstätter recounted his decision to confront Trump, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance, and tech mogul Elon Musk on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Brandstätter’s tweet to Musk, telling him to “pay your bill” after a €120 million fine was levied on Musk by the European Commission, quickly went viral, amassing almost four million views. Brandstätter’s online skirmishes have not gone unnoticed; his posts have sparked heated exchanges with American officials and MAGA supporters alike.
Brandstätter explained his approach: “A message to ‘Piggy Land’: there is no censorship in Europe, and everybody has to follow our rules… so leave us alone.” He later clarified that his use of “piggy land” was a reference to Trump’s own demeaning comments to a journalist, but the phrase was misinterpreted by some American officials. He didn’t shy away from criticizing Musk’s stewardship of X, arguing, “X is an instrument of Musk for his business model, and his business model is hate.” Brandstätter warned that abandoning the platform would leave it as “only going to be an anti-democratic, pro-Russian platform.”
The Austrian MEP also took aim at Trump’s narrative of European weakness. “Trump’s narrative that weak leaders lead European nations doesn’t hold water,” he asserted, citing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron as examples of strong European leadership. Brandstätter, a former newspaper editor, expressed disappointment at the widening transatlantic rift, admitting he no longer buys American products or vacations in the U.S. “The last days will make [European officials] tougher. I think they have understood that we cannot accept that someone comes to Europe and says this is not a democracy. We cannot accept that someone says ‘we want to do regime change.’”
Brandstätter’s combative stance has come at a personal cost. He described receiving an “incredible avalanche” of defamatory abuse, homophobia, and insults on X. “I never gave up,” he told Euractiv, underscoring his commitment to defending European democracy in the digital arena.
While the rhetoric from both sides has been heated, von der Leyen’s overarching message remains one of unity and resilience. She has called for Europeans to “take pride in being the European Union,” to recognize their collective strength, and to stand up for democratic values in the face of external pressure. In a related context, she has also advocated for providing Ukraine with long-term security guarantees, describing this as the EU’s “first line of defense” in ongoing peace talks—a reminder that, for Europe, the stakes of sovereignty and security are not merely rhetorical.
As the dust settles from this latest round of transatlantic sparring, it’s clear that Europe is determined to chart its own course—proudly, assertively, and with a renewed focus on protecting its democratic institutions from both external and internal threats.
