DISINFO: Brussels cracks down on pro-Trump European leaders
SUMMARY
Brussels is waging a war against European leaders who openly support US President Donald Trump. These are ‘anti-establishment leaders' who refuse to follow the directives of the ruling liberal elites in the EU. Brussels is deeply concerned that Trump, who relies on nationalist-oriented conservative leaders such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu, may weaken European globalism.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, aiming to falsely claiming that the European Union is a totalitarian organisation. The aim is also to drive a further wedge in the transatlantic relationship.
The EU’s disputes with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico stem from their violations of EU principles, not their ideological positions. Brussels has taken steps against Hungary and Slovakia for restricting press freedoms, curbing judicial independence, and misusing EU funds. EU actions against such governments are driven by concerns over rule of law and democratic standards rather than by targeting political affiliations with foreign leaders.
The European Union was not involved in the decisions around the Romanian Presidential elections in 2024 and 2025.
Romania's presidential elections, held in December 2024, were annulled following accusations of electoral violations and Russian interference. Calin Georgescu, a far-right candidate with pro-Russian views, won the first round of voting in November 2024. This outcome, combined with evidence of biased social media campaigns, prompted the Constitutional Court to annul the election results.
On 26 February 2025, Georgescu was charged with incitement to acts against the constitutional order, dissemination of false information during an election campaign, and initiating or creating an organization of a fascist, racist or xenophobic nature.
On March 9, the Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania refused to register Georgescu. The commission justified its decision by saying that it had taken into account precedents set by the Constitutional Court and that people running for president must “respect the Constitution and defend democracy". In line with the law, Georgescu filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court, which issued the final decision barring Georgescu's participation in the election.
US President Donald Trump is not a unifying figure for European conservatives. While some nationalist leaders like Orbán admire him, European politics largely operates on its own terms, separate from US electoral cycles. The allegation that Brussels fears Trump will weaken European globalism is drawn from the Kremlin’s playbook, which frequently employs the term "globalist elites" to paint the EU as a shadowy network oppressing national sovereignty. In reality, the EU is a democratic union where member states voluntarily agree on policies. Disagreements happen but this is a natural part of European politics, not a conspiracy.
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