Media: Slovak PM warns EU leaders of Trump’s “dangerous” state of mind

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico told fellow European Union leaders last week that a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump had left him shocked by the American leader’s state of mind, according to five European diplomats briefed on the discussion. 

Fico, one of the few EU leaders to frequently support Trump’s criticism of Europe’s weaknesses, described the U.S. president as “out of his mind” and used the word “dangerous” to characterise his behaviour during their face-to-face meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on January 17, Politico reports.

The Slovak leader made his comments during an informal discussion with other EU leaders and senior officials on the sidelines of an emergency summit in Brussels on January 22, convened to address transatlantic relations after Trump’s threat to seize Greenland. European diplomats said the remarks were not made during the formal roundtable talks.

“All the diplomats were granted anonymity to discuss confidential exchanges,” the report said, with sources coming from four different EU governments and a senior EU official. None could provide details of what Trump said that prompted Fico’s reaction.

Fico’s private concerns stand in contrast to his public statements after the Mar-a-Lago visit. In a Facebook video, he described the invitation as a sign of “high respect and trust” from Trump, noting that the two leaders had discussed Ukraine and what Fico described as the EU’s “deep crisis” during “informal and open talks.”

A White House spokesperson dismissed the claims as “absolutely total fake news from anonymous European diplomats who are trying to be relevant,” adding that the meeting was “positive and productive.” A senior U.S. official who attended the meeting said it had been “pleasant, normal and included some lighthearted exchanges.”

Fears over Trump’s unpredictability and health have been rising among EU leaders, according to a sixth diplomat not briefed directly on Fico’s comments. Trump, 79, has repeatedly denied any condition affecting his cognition.

The Slovak leader’s remarks come amid growing European unease over Trump’s approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his support for far-right politicians, trade barriers, and the U.S. role in Europe’s defence. Earlier this month, Trump threatened new tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland, though he later withdrew the threat after agreeing on a framework deal with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

At the Brussels summit, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the EU must reduce its dependence on the United States for security. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc had learned that standing up to Trump in a “firm” but “non-escalatory” way was an effective strategy.

By Aghakazim Guliyev