Media: Europe’s far right sees Trump as political risk after Orbán's loss

Donald Trump is increasingly being viewed as a political liability by parts of Europe’s far right, with senior figures warning that overt alignment with the U.S. president risks alienating voters ahead of key elections across the continent, Politico writes.

Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally, told colleagues this week: “We need to keep our distance,” according to a senior party official present at the meeting.

The comments reflect a broader reassessment among populist parties that had previously seen Trump’s return to the White House as an electoral boost.

The shift has been sharpened by Hungary’s recent parliamentary election defeat for Viktor Orbán, whose campaign featured explicit support from the Trump administration, including a visit from U.S. Vice President JD Vance. A senior National Rally official said: “[Orbán’s] defeat can’t just be put down to voter fatigue,” adding: “The proximity with the United States in the current context did not go down well with Hungarian voters.”

European far-right parties have also been grappling with Trump’s foreign policy positions and personal interventions, including criticism directed at Pope Leo over the war in Iran, which has complicated his standing among socially conservative voters in Europe.

In Germany, members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) are adopting a more cautious tone ahead of regional elections.

AfD lawmaker Torben Braga said that close alignment with Washington was not always electorally beneficial, noting: “in the specific context of elections, that’s not a particularly promising approach,” while Matthias Moosdorf wrote on X that the “ostentatious display of friendship” between Budapest and the Trump administration, including JD Vance’s support for Orbán, “hung like millstones around [the Hungarian leader’s] neck.”

Despite this, some within the AfD continue to view Trump’s presidency as an opportunity to strengthen legitimacy and international ties. Party leader Alice Weidel has publicly defended engagement with the U.S. administration and praised Orbán’s electoral strategy.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also sought to distance herself from parts of Trump’s messaging, particularly after his criticism of Pope Leo, reflecting the sensitivity of religious and centrist voters in her domestic base.

A former official from a rival far-right group said: “Ever since the Capitol attack [in 2021 following Trump’s 2020 election loss], Marine Le Pen realized that it’s not a good idea to get too close to him. She’s very cautious, and kept her distance,” while one of Le Pen’s allies added: “can be a liability and be misinterpreted,” and “We like our friends in Washington, but we don’t want them to tell us what to do.”

Le Pen’s National Rally has nonetheless maintained selective engagement with U.S. officials, with party figures attending diplomatic events and meetings in Washington. A senior party official said such contacts “shows we are capable of talking to the world’s great players.”

The broader recalibration comes as Orbán’s defeat is being interpreted by some European populists as evidence that alignment with Trump-style politics may carry domestic electoral risks. A senior National Rally figure said: “We need a big country to lead the revolt,” adding: “If we win in 2027, other countries will follow.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev