World shifted from morality to pragmatism in Trump's second term, Romanian president tells Politico

The second Trump presidency represented a major shift in the international scene away from morality and toward pragmatism, Romanian president Nicusor Dan told Politico Europe in an extended interview. Dan, presented as a moderate by the publication, said that “we shifted from a - in some sense - moral way of doing things to a very pragmatic and economical way of doing things.”

Trump’s harsher stance on Europe is widely known. His administration slashed financial and military aid to Ukraine, hit the European Union with tariffs, and criticized European leaders for being “weak.”

Donald Trump has also encouraged the anti-migration stances of friendly leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni. In response, other EU leaders had to adapt.

Romania has specifically faced serious criticism for its canceled elections from Trump allies like vice-president JD Vance. Voicing opinions is one thing, Dan told Politico Europe, but if the US were to influence politics by paying media inside European countries “like the Russians are doing,” it would be a problem.

“Dan’s frank assessment reveals the extent of the damage that has been done to the transatlantic alliance this year. Trump has injected jeopardy into all aspects of the Western alliance, even restoring relations with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin,” the publication wrote.

Nevertheless, the US and Europe are natural allies, according to the Romanian president. Right now, “we are in some sense in a transition period in which we have to better understand each other.”

Nicusor Dan also partly agrees with Trump in that Europe can be too slow to make decisions, but added that “even a fractious EU did eventually take ‘the important decision.’”

When it comes to Ukraine, Dan said that the end of the war remains distant.

“Any kind of peace in which the aggressor is rewarded in some sense is not good for Europe and for the future security of the world,” Dan said. “But the decision for peace is just on the Ukrainian shoulders. They suffer so much, so we cannot blame them for any decision they will make.”

During the same interview, the president played down the threat of Russian incursions. Politico Europe also tackled the Recorder documentary on