Trump or Harris? MEP surrogates take sides

Europe awaits the outcome and impact of next week’s US election, and Euronews spoke to two MEPs advocating for the competiting candidates for the White House, asking why they think Donald Trump’s or Kamala Harris’ election would be a better choice for Europe.

The European Parliament’s leftist political groups – Socialists and democrats, Greens/EFA, The Left – plus Renew Europe clearly endorse Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. But there are also supporters of Donald Trump in Brussels, such as the members of the right wing Patriots for Europe group.

For Trump, Patriots MEP António Tânger Corrêa spoke to us from his native Portugal; while Harris advocate Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, Germany) spoke to us from the US, where he is following the elections.

Would the election of Trump or Harris be better:

 For European democracy?

Tânger: I think that Trump in his first mandate did something very good for the world: he didn’t start any war. Because previously and now even after him, the Americans always tend to support or start wars to sell weapons. He was intelligent enough and smart enough to sell weapons without starting a war. And I think there’s a very good indication from his part that he’s not interested in starting wars, but on the contrary, he is willing to finish them. And that for Europe is absolutely essential.

Freund: I think for European democracy, Kamala Harris would be the better outcome of the election. Trump has been cozying up with dictators around the world, including in the European Union, with Viktor Orbán. So I would fear that those that want to abolish democracy, that fight against free media and independent courts would get a boost if Trump were elected.

 For the war in Ukraine?

Tânger: According to the promises that have been made in the past by both candidates, I think that Trump and his team must have a much better chance to solve or at least to to find a way to solve the problem.

Freund: I think there is bipartisan support in Congress for further support in Ukraine, both militarily, financially. But obviously, President Trump would cast a bit of doubt. Maybe there would be more pressure on Ukraine to basically give up territories and sign up to some peace. Trump himself has been very lukewarm on the support of Ukraine. We know about his close ties with Vladimir Putin

For Europe’s defence?

Tânger: Trump has a different mindset from Kamala Harris. First of all, Kamala Harris has no history about defence or security or any of these items. I’m sorry to say, the only thing she speaks about is abortion, being a feminist, being this and that, and the security and defence are alien areas for her. So that’s not a very good promise for us.

Freund: Trump has been very outspoken about Europe needing to invest more in defence. And he put into question NATO’s common defence for Europe members that don’t spend enough, according to him. So I think the alliance will definitely be under additional pressure. So, I think Kamala Harris is also the better candidate for good cooperation within NATO, but also, beyond that on defence.

 For peace in the Middle East?

Tânger: Definitely Trump, because Trump wants to appease the situation and Harris, like all the activists, is trying to put more fire and more wood to the fire and increase the fire. Trump’s interests are not to create fire, though Kamala Harris as a militant and as an activist, lives and thrives on lighting fires. And that’s not good for us. That’s not good for the Middle East. That’s not good for anyone.

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Freund: I am not sure it makes such a big difference. But obviously the erratic, chaotic presidency that we would have to expect under Trump. You never know where that goes, basically. So I think a Kamala [Harris’s] presidency would basically be calmer, more intelligent, and more soft too.

For Europe’s economy and trade?

Tânger: Trump is much better in economic terms than Harris. We had problems with Trump in areas like steel or cars, but I think that Europe now is more important for the United States than it was then, because of the geopolitical situation in the world. Therefore, I don’t foresee trade wars like the ones we had with the United States during his [previous] mandate.

Freund: Neither of those candidates is fully on the line that the European Union and the member states are on. We’ve had our issues with the Biden administration as well. The discussions around the Inflation Reduction Act, which wasn’t really discussed or thought with Europe in mind at all. But I think the kind of tariff wars we have seen under Trump the last time, I fear, would come back. So, I personally would have a preference for Kamala Harris.

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