Former U.S. ambassador says Trump wants to break up the European Union

US President-elect Donald Trump would like to break up the European Union (EU). Former U.S. ambassador to the EU Anthony Gardner told Politico newspaper on Dec. 11.

"This is a man who thought Brexit was a great idea and there should be more Brexit," Gardner said.

The diplomat believes Trump will "pull the card" of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and "use the other cards available."

Gardner noted that the European Union is now in a very bruised state, and the Republican's methods could be successful, Gazeta.Ru adds.

"Trump has never been so interested in recognizing the EU as an (equal. - Ed.) interlocutor," a European diplomat told the newspaper on condition of anonymity.

The European Commission is concerned about Trump's intentions to impose tariffs on all U.S. imports worth $3 trillion, as the European auto industry, pharmaceuticals and other industries will be under attack.

Earlier, on December 8, Trump said that the U.S. could withdraw from NATO. He noted that if the alliance will "pay the bills," the States will remain in NATO. In addition, he emphasized that the fulfillment of financial obligations by allies will be a key condition for Washington's further participation in the alliance.

Before that, on November 4, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the alliance would work with any elected US president. After information about Trump's victory, he said on November 7 that he was right to require NATO members to spend more than 2 percent of GDP on defense and promised that this would be the case in the future.

Among other things, Politico wrote in July, citing sources, that Trump, if re-elected, does not plan to withdraw the country from NATO, but could make major changes to Washington's role in the alliance. It was reported that he may propose a two-tiered system of the alliance with a reduction in U.S. security powers.

In December 2023, the U.S. Congress legislatively limited the authority of any U.S. president to withdraw a state from NATO amid concerns among some politicians that a similar thing would happen when Trump returns to the White House.