‘Messiah among far-right leaders’: How Trump emboldens Europe’s political extremists

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) – Donald Trump’s return to the White House for a second term is being hailed as a rallying cry for Europe’s far-right movements, but the continent remains divided on how to respond to his influence.

“We see a common playbook that might be adopted by far-right parties as Trump begins a new era,” Georgios Samaras, an assistant professor of public policy at King’s College London, told Anadolu.

Samaras highlighted how Trump’s leadership style and rhetoric have blurred the lines between American and European far-right ideologies.

“His first presidency indicated support for far-right ideas,” he said, warning that Trump’s second term “might turn into an authoritarian approach.”

During his first term, Trump’s America First agenda – emphasizing national sovereignty and opposition to globalism – resonated with far-right leaders across Europe.

Samaras described Trump as “a messiah among far-right leaders willing to copy his playbook,” pointing to enthusiastic reactions from figures such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), whose leader Alice Weidel called Trump “a role model.”

- Destabilizing European policies

Trump’s influence risks further eroding liberal democratic principles in Europe, said Samaras.

The far right in Europe has gained allies within centrist parties that have shifted closer to their spectrum over time, he explained.

“Central-right parties have experienced … a snowball effect, moving towards the right, but also pushing borders to the far right,” he said.

According to Samaras, Trump’s second term could embolden European leaders to adopt increasingly extreme positions, further undermining the EU’s cohesion.

Back in 2016, “it was a very different Europe … there was still strong commitment from European leaders to these (liberal) values,” he said, while the “far right did not have that much influence.”

“Eight years later, in 2024, the environment is so different … They will side with Trump because they now have much more in common,” he added.

This ideological shift, he continued, has emboldened far-right parties to push beyond the boundaries of liberal democracy, challenging the EU’s foundational principles.

Samaras also warned of Europe’s fragmented response to Trump’s policies, saying the continent faces “a toxic mix that has the potential to destabilize European policy,” he said, pointing to differing national stances on issues like migration, Ukraine, and economic policy.

- Economic and geopolitical risks

Trump’s economic isolationism and proposed tariffs on European goods present significant risks to the continent, Samaras said.

During his first term, Trump imposed steep tariffs on European steel and aluminum imports – 25% and 10%, respectively – citing national security concerns. This time, from the campaign trail to his post-victory actions, Trump is promising more of the same.

If Trump’s tariffs materialize, the transatlantic trade agenda will “look very different … very negatively,” and European far-right parties will likely adjust their policies to align with his vision, he said.

Trump’s skepticism toward NATO and a potential withdrawal of US support for Ukraine could also embolden far-right European leaders to advocate for stronger national defense mechanisms.

“A potential exit from NATO will probably mean a complete collapse in EU and US relations,” Samaras said.

- Divisive transatlantic relations

Patrick Chamorel, a senior scholar at Stanford University, described Trump’s return as a “legitimizing” force for far-right movements.

Trump’s victory suggests to them that “history is on their side,” and now they feel empowered to push policies that were once seen as extremist, he told Anadolu.

He pointed to Trump’s contentious foreign policy as a source of tension in Europe, particularly his criticism of NATO.

Trump’s decisions may render NATO’s Article 5 “not relevant anymore,” fundamentally altering the alliance’s foundation, he said.

The US president-elect’s anti-globalization stance could clash with Europe’s economic policies, Chamorel continued, and far-right parties may find themselves at odds with Trump if his policies harm their constituencies, particularly working- and middle-class voters.

On migration, he said Trump’s hardline stance resonates with many far-right leaders, but their approaches remain context-specific.

To appeal to broader electorates, people like France’s Marine Le Pen and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni have distanced themselves from Trump’s most extreme positions, such as mass deportations, Chamorel explained.

“They agree philosophically, but they reject Trump's rhetoric and his most extremist policies,” he said.

- Fragmented far right

Europe’s far-right remains fragmented, limiting its ability to present a unified front, said Chamorel.

“All of these right-wing parties in Europe, first of all, they don’t agree among themselves, and some are closer to Trump than others,” he explained.

While Germany’s AfD and Austria’s Freedom Party align closely with Trump’s more radical stances, he said, leaders like Le Pen and Meloni operate within coalition systems that constrain unilateral action.

Cultural and political differences “deepen this fragmentation,” Chamorel added, noting that Western European leaders face electorates that are less socially conservative than their counterparts in the continent’s east.

“Obviously, the radical path is more in tune with Trump,” he said.

However, he added, leaders like Le Pen cannot really do that “because it clashes with their strategy.”

Despite shared opposition to liberal democratic elites, Chamorel concluded that these divisions limit the far-right’s collective influence on European and transatlantic policies.