The president of France’s populist National Rally party expressed his support for former President Donald Trump, praising the Republican candidate for his devotion to “patriotism” and his commitment to putting his country’s people first.
Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old political rockstar who serves as Marine Le Pen’s deputy and the president of her National Rally party, joined the growing number of European politicians backing Donald Trump.
In comments reported by CNews, the anti-mass migration French MEP said: “Donald Trump defends the interests of Americans.”
“What is clear is that Donald Trump defends the interests of Americans and defends a form of American pride. I like this patriotism,” Bardella continued.
“I like these political leaders who also put the interests of their own people and the interests of their country and their nation, perhaps before those of others.”
Bardella, who led his party to a strong victory in the European Parliament elections earlier this year and who currently stands as a leading contender to become Prime Minister of France in 2027, is not alone among prominent politicians across the pond in expressing support for the Republican presidential hopeful.
Although the establishment media on both sides of the Atlantic have often sought to portray Trump as having alienated European allies, a growing cadre of prominent figures have begun to support his candidacy.
In July, Geert Wilders, the Dutch populist leader and the main power player behind the coalition government in The Netherlands, endorsed the former president’s bid to return to the White House.
“I trust the 45th President will become the 47th President. No one deserves it more than President Trump,” Wilders said.
This year, Trump also secured the endorsement of former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who said in April that she was fearful of a “very, very serious conflict” breaking out and that “under Donald Trump when he was president of the United States, the world was safer.”
The endorsement from the former UK leader echoed sentiments long expressed by Trump’s chief ally in Britain, Brexit leader Nigel Farage, who said this summer that it is “absolutely vital” for the Western world and peace in Europe that the former president returns to power.
Perhaps the loudest voice in Europe calling for Trump’s return has been Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose country shares a border with Ukraine.
Orbán, one of the EU’s chief advocates for striking a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, said earlier this year that he believes only Trump is “strong enough” to end the war in Europe.
“My personal conviction remains that if, in February 2022, the American president had been called Donald Trump, there would be no more war in Europe. Today, I don’t see anyone other than him, neither in Europe nor in America, who is a leader strong enough to stop the war,” the Hungarian leader declared.