Has Donald Trump effectively declared war on Europe? His recent statements suggest exactly that.
In this video, I explore how Trump's racist rhetoric, his support for far-right parties, and his attacks on migrants are being used to divide Europe at the very moment inequality and social pressures are rising.
Migration is not destroying Europe. Racism is.
And when racism is normalised, democracy crumbles.
This is the defining political choice of our time: fear and exclusion, or dignity and solidarity.
Which Europe do you want to live in?
This is the audio version:
This is the transcript:
Has Donald Trump declared war on Europe? It's a question that needs to be asked because it seems as though he might have done.
In a number of recent statements and declarations he's made it clear that he thinks Europe is in terminal decline as a civilisation - although I didn't know we were as such a civilisation apart from the rest of the world - and he claims that this is the consequence of our attitudes towards migration, when in fact what he's talking about is his own racist attitude.
We need to face up to this. He is challenging the whole of Europe because of his own politics of hate that is targeted, deliberate, and dangerous, and he's focusing it upon us here on this side of the pond because we are inclusive, and he hates that fact. As a result, he is declaring war on Europe because he's saying our way of life is opposed by the USA now, and he's determined to undermine it in any way that he can, including by promoting those political parties here that will try to drag us down the neo-fascist path that he's already on.
Let's be clear about what Trump is saying. He's saying immigration is destroying European civilisation.
He pretends he's going to take action to defend our culture.
He's pretending he is protecting our way of life.
But this is not about protecting anything. What he's actually doing is attacking people who look, sound, or believe differently to him.
There is no evidence at all that migration is destroying Europe; in fact, the exact opposite is true.
Migration is supporting our public services.
It keeps our hospitals open.
It supports our pensions and social care.
Our economies would quite simply fall apart without the migrants who are welcome within the countries of Europe.
So this isn't a rational policy that Donald Trump is promoting; in that case, what is it? It's a demand that Europe be white, and that is racism.
It's also a demand that Europe have a "Christian civilisation", whatever that might mean, because the vast majority of people in Europe do not go to a Christian Church at all, or if they do, only very occasionally. In other words, this is not about Christianity, and it is not about civilisation; this is about a demand that there be white supremacy.
What Trump is trying to do is draw a line between us, people who do look like me, let's be honest - because the other thing that underpins all of Trump's thinking is the idea that men should be in charge - and everyone else. What he's trying to do is draw a line between who is allowed to belong and who is not.
Why is this important now?
It's important because inequality is rising.
It's important because stress within our societies is increasing.
It's important because public services are collapsing and housing is unaffordable, and the powerful don't want you to notice any of that because they want instead to point the finger of blame at someone else, so you don't notice that all this is happening because they are essentially taking the money and denying it to you and to the public purse, which would then be better able to deliver, through state spending, the services that we are all dependent upon.
The billionaires are our problem.
The landlords are our problem.
The bankers are our problem, and they are trying to hide the fact by blaming the vulnerable every single time, and that is how racism works.
This is dangerous. When racism is normalised, democracy crumbles.
Rights are stripped away.
Communities are divided.
Violence increases.
People become "less than" in the eyes of the state, and that is the road to authoritarian rule, and in Europe, we saw that. The US did not; this did not happen in the 20th century in the USA, but it most certainly did happen in Europe. We know where such policies lead.
So, we have to answer questions, and we have to answer them now because the crisis that we are facing is at this present moment.
Do we want a Europe built on fear, hatred, and exclusion, which is precisely what Trump and those right-wing parties who mimic him in Europe want?
Or, do we want a Europe based upon human dignity and solidarity?
We can't have both. They are mutually exclusive. Trump does not want to respect human dignity. He does not have regard for solidarity, and nor do the leaders of the far-right parties in the UK, in France, in Germany and elsewhere, and they are happening all over Europe. This is the defining political choice of our time, and pretending it's just about border control, as Donald Trump is trying to do, is just letting the racists win.
We have to fight back.
We have to first of all, say the word "racism".
We have to call it out.
We have to name it.
We have to confront it.
We have to never excuse it.
Secondly, we have to refuse to scapegoat migrants because that's what the powerful want to do. Instead, we have to hold them to account for the real crises we face.
And thirdly, we must demand humane policies that welcome and integrate people into our communities, where they become an essential part of everything we do, because without them, nothing is going to be possible in the future.
This has always been the way in every country throughout Europe, where wave after wave of immigrants over time have always been integrated into societies, changed them - usually for the better - and as a consequence made them stronger and more inclusive.
Fourthly, we have to protect rights because when they come for one group, they come for all of us.
What does this mean? Racism should never be built into our future; solidarity must be. If we want a democratic Europe, a fair Europe, a decent Europe, we must reject this war on migrants: on people who are "other", as Donald Trump would have them; in other words, not white male Christians, and we must stand together.
My question to you is, what Europe do you want to live in?
Do you want to live in one where everyone is treated equally?
Do you want to live in one where the world is fair?
Do you want to live in one where we value each person for who they are and not what their skin colour is?
Do you want to live in a world that values you as much as anyone else? Because at the end of the day, remember, Donald Trump doesn't value you, nor do the right-wing parties. You are as much cannon fodder to them as are the migrants they are at present seeking to prejudice.
What do you want? There's a poll down below.
Poll
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I don’t disagree at all with your conclusion but it seems to me that Trump is working with Putin to place Europe between two powerful and large states and to squeeze as hard as they can. There is also internal squeezing going on too from the likes of Hungary and the far Right in France and Germany, and hell, us too.
But this rule by personality – self appointed personality – the ‘strong man’, those whose version of Christianity is to improve God’s own ‘mistakes’ when he made the world and ignore the words of God’s only son about loving thy neighbour etc., – that is the Christianity being evoked at the moment – the ‘Crusader Christian’; he or she who rejects the world as he/she finds it and sees countries not in the grip of the likes of Trump or Putin as just space to be taken and ‘made better’ through fascism – having no borders or laws, just sitting there waiting to be liberated as Hitler saw the East. No one will have any legitimacy until Trump and Putin-like figures totally rule over Europe, enriching themselves and banning fonts they don’t like.
So in conclusion, you are right to say that Trump is declaring war on Europe; it is the Western Christian way to try to convert you first anyway with words before they wipe you out. In the meantime, Russia is doing things the Russian way, and doing its best to march into Ukraine. Russia would love Europe to fail. The quicker the better. It is Russia that wants Europe to be more like Russia and this is how they are going to achieve it seems.
Whilst I am far from being a conspiracist I agree with PSR that it is extremely difficult to ignore the fact that Trump is, in effect, a Russian asset. His relations with Europe and Ukraine all point to some malevolence or vested, controlling interest from somewhere. Trump’s kompromat has been a long time in the making.
Realpolitik is only going to carry US ‘allies’ so far it seems and, viewed currently, probably not very much further to come. The politicing that has resulted in the UK’s disgusting approach to Palestine is, I would suggest, going to prove woefully and dangerously short of what is going to be necessary going forward.
Thanks again!
Might this article from “Counterpunch” be of interest/relevance?
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/12/12/as-authoritarianism-grows-psychologists-must-not-be-silent/
I agree with it.
I almost didn’t vote but then I chose the “billionaire/concentrated wealth” option.
The other choices could be tinkered with, a bit less inequality, but no change for the poor; dumping Reform but having the Tories back or even worse, Starmer; less nasty rhetoric about small boats and Muslims, but keeping a racist immigration policy.
We could make cosmetic changes in all those but preserve the current dire and dangerous status quo.
But it seemed to me, that to deal with concentrated wealth & billionaire influence, a government would have to be really serious about radical change – the PM would have to buy their own specs, the Chancellor finance her own wardrobe, and Wes Streeting would have to rely on popular local support for raising his election funds. So I voted for that one.
Thanks
I chose the concentrated wealth and billionaires because I think that the others all stem from the exercise of power by the wealthy elite. However I am a bit surprised how few votes the racist scapegoating of migrants got – for me that is the most visible evidence of the problems with the state.
I don’t understand how so many people can have forgotten that nearly all populations (geographically isolated ones excepted) are made up of migrants (recent and not so recent).
Agreed
Part of Trump’s war is being fought on this front – “Christianity” and topically, Christmas.
Here is an exposé of the hypocrisy of the up-front publicity for Yaxley-Lennon’s London “Carol service” (political far right rally) this weekend. The official publicity for the “Carol Service” says one thing. His emails to his supporters say something very different. See them side by side.
You may find the information useful in conversations with family, friends or colleagues. I don’t want to give Yaxley-Lennon the oxygen of publicity, but I will quietly point out his hypocrisy to anyone expressing support for him.
Be under no illusions, this divisive hypocritical hate is being quietly and firmly resisted by Christians who have a track record of doing good and making a difference. The article in the first link is written by John Kuhrt, CEO of supported housing Charity, Hope into Action – my small fellowship partner with them to support clients in a local HIA house.
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/2025/12/10/tommy-robinsons-carol-concert-show-naive-grace-or-face-the-ugly-truth/
The USA swallowed Trump’s lies (twice) and parts of the US church played a big part in that.
Here in the UK, we don’t have to elect a fascist or a fascist-appeaser – there is still time.
More info here:
https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/2025/12/08/keep-calm-and-carry-on/
on how to respond without over-reacting.
For Christmas, a good question for conversation, “what DID Jesus do and say? Anyone got a bible handy?” You can get through Mark’s version while the Christmas pudding settles and save John’s for Boxing Day if it’s raining.
Thank you, and a very great deal to agree with. Yaxley-Lennon is deeply toxic.
Billy Bragg has written a song on the extremists co-opting Christianity, which I believe he performed at a counter event to Yaxley-Lennon’s today
one verse of which is
You want Christ back in Christmas
Yet you ignore his words
And live your life in selfishness
As if you’ve never heard
Of the Samaritan who stops to help
The stranger dressed in rags
You pay lip service to the Lord
While worshipping the flag
in full at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liRd9pjSBDA
Thanks
[…] was talking to a friend about my post on Donald Trump, and his attack on European civilisation, made earlier today. The thought that kept recurring was this: why are none of our political leaders standing up and […]
@RobertJ – thank you. It is tragic that Yaxley-Lennon’s London ‘Carol service’ can hijack a religious theme for his own extreme views, especially at this time of year, when it should be ‘goodwill to all men’ (which I believe comes from Luke 2:14 – and ‘men’ means mankind). Yesterday evening I was at a concert performed by the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band – the conductor introduced one item by John Rutter, saying that Rutter maintained that Christmas music embodies a world as it should be = a time of stillness, rejoicing and shared humanity. I will go further and say that this embodiment of a world as it should be, should be maintained throughout all seasons, and indeed not just through music, offering reassurance to all in an unequal world and extending kindness and helpfulness universally.
I disagree with Trump (and Reform) on almost everything, but dismissing millions of voters as racists (which is what’s being said, and don’t get me wrong – most of them are, which very few of them would admit), guarantees they’ll never listen to alternative narratives (again most of them won’t listen no matter how you put it).
When it’s clear what America wants – to own the world – and Farage is their UK stooge in this aim (starting with the NHS), I’m afrad we’re well and truly up the swanny if Reform do win the next election.
How can you not be a racist when you vote for an openly, and clearly, racist party?
Please explain.
We’re in agreement, it is a racist party.
The point I was trying to make, is that you’re not going to win anyone over by calling them a racist.
But, on reflection, I suppose you’re not trying to win them over, which is a shame as you have some great arguments.
I have to be honest, most won’t be here. And they will make up their own minds. Bizarrely, my arguments are very much for them.
How can a non-racist support Reform? Worryingly easily. I know them by name.
Cognitive dissonance.
Profound ignorance about politics (most voters ARE v uninformed about politics), and about Reform (with the collusion of MSM). Being shortchanged by educational, health financial and class systems.
Algorithms on social media – feed them a different and v granular message cf oher demographics. You and I never see their campaign material.
If you are carefully & cleverly fed lies, you can support Reform without being racist. I know, I talk to them regularly. As the Good Book says, they are like sheep without a shepherd, not stupid, but very badly dealt with by the establishment.
It’s the Brexit vote all over again. Lies, algorithms, granular campaigning. I mean, how did people fall for those lies? See above, same corrupt liars, same techniques, same unbelievable success, and the people I personally believe to be liars quietly merge into the background like Gove & Johnson & Banks.
Look at the shocked responses of people with Reform councils. The Lancashire Reform councillor responsible for SEND provision, shocked to find out what their Party policy on mental health and SEND cutbacks was.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/dec/13/reform-uk-lancashire-council-seven-months-in-power
I don’t understand why anyone voted Labour in 2024, thinking Starmer would be better than the Tories. I spent 7 years (some as a member) watching Corbyn being destroyed by his own party. I have more sympathy with lied-to/left-behind working class voters giving Reform a try, than I have with well-informed Labour voters sticking with Starmer in 2024 or staying in Labour now. I knew most of what Paul Holden wrote about Starmer or Peter Oborne wrote about Israel, years ago. But then, I’m a political nut, have been for 50 years now. So its hard work imagining myself into the position of someone more or less ignorant of politics, being taken in by a snake-oil salesman. But I meet them every day and many are NOT racists, but they have been conned by racists.
And of course, given Labour’s history over the last decade, I regard everyone serving in Starmer’s Cabinet as racist and complicit in war crimes. They are in power, they DO it, every day, Fa***e merely SPEAKS his racism, Starmer ENACTS his and deaths follow.
Noted. Thanks for spending time on this.
Trump’s main target audience is the American people. His comments on Europe are to describe an alternative way of life and demonise it so Americans regard it with contempt or worse. It is a retreat into black and white thinking.
For all its faults Europe represents a threat to the MAGA mentality. It is multi-cultural. Europe is pretty secular these days. Its’ electoral systems are superior -with a few exceptions! The countries have better public services, especially in health. Employees have a right to more holidays and some protection against unfair dismissal. European states are signed up to the International criminal court. Trump has sanctioned some of the ICC judges. The European Convention on Human Rights seems more effective than the US Supreme Court.
Norway, Spain, Ireland and later France and the UK, have broken ranks to recognise Palestine. Yes, more could be done but there are timid steps to sanction the settlers on the West Bank.
The EU proposes more regulation of the tech giants than is likely to happen in the US.
Europe is a way from what we might desire but it is in a better place than the US and certainly Putin’s Russia.
Europe, with Canada and Australia, is the alternative to Republican America. No wonder Trump seeks to subvert it.
You are right that Europe is a better place tonlive than US, but what do we know that isn’t filtered through US or rightwing media obsessed with the “Russian Anxiety” of US hatred of socialism and particularly communism. As for Putin he may be a monster, but he’s locked up fewer dissidents than Starmer, so where does that leave us?
My vote was to resist the far right in whatever guise it appears. Their policies have caused most of our current problems. Thatcherism, Austerity, Big Bang, Brexit, Privatisation of utilities and many more things ideologically driven. If they were to regain power in UK, I would fear for our democracy. I don’t think they actually will as I expect Farage and Reform to implode while Tories are toast. Labour is enabling them by their poor governance, but Libdems and Greens offer some hope.
As for Trump, I’m thinking he and his shady backers will all be in San Quentin by the end of 2026. It’s where they deserve to be.
It is the Concentrated wealth + power of billionaires that is driving the collapse of public spending etc. Not the other way about; and so any vote for loss of services is essentially a vote to add to the Billionaire self interest vote.